Enigma of the Wild
by Swordslinger95
Summary: The lands of Hyrule are vast, wild, and filled to the brim with all sorts of life, with more then a few oddities. Even the Yiga clan has it's own odd ones out, and I suppose that I'm probably it.
1. Chapter 1

I hate the rain.

No...that wasn't quite accurate, I don't hate the rain as so much as I can't stand the cold and the wind that come with the rain. The water I could handle, and the lighting that often followed the rain was...manageable so long as I remember to properly stow away my metal equipment. The wind and the cold on the other hand, were things entirely out of my control.

Something I was keenly aware of as I hiked my way up the Terino Trail in the northeastern part of Hyrule. The frigid wind whipping against me as it howled through the pass. It was about dusk, and that meant I had to get to shelter soon, as with the emergence of those freaky towers, that meant I was probably get attacked by Stalkobins. Yep, it was quite a charmed life I lead.

My reddish hair was hanged in front of me as I trudged forward through the rain, the water beating upon my head was doing little to improve my mood. My sword, something that probably belonged to a soldier at one point, was constantly slapping me in the back of my leg due to a loose harness. My orange leather jacket and red scarf offered little to no protection against the rain, and the heavy backpack I carried did nothing for me. As much as I wanted to drop it, I had no choice but to deal with the weight it pressed on me, it had everything I needed stuffed inside, after all. Well, almost everything, if I had it my way, or if I had a donkey or something, I'd probably have a few more books with me.

But, much like the rain that pelted my head, that was my lot in life, there was rarely a time I could do anything about it.

As I walked along the dirt path, an odd sight caught my eye, ahead of me were two other travelers, a Goron and a Gerudo. I had caught sight of them before, but I gave them no thoughts because, frankly, it wasn't my issue nor my in my interest. But, now, as the sun fell, and the moon rose, I couldn't help but notice through the fading light that they had something I desperately needed at the moment, shelter.

The two of them had taken cover under what barely counted as shelter, as it was literally only a leaky roof with four legs to keep it up. But, it kept the rain away, barely. The smell of wet grass assaulted my nose as I tried to speed up towards the cover that the duo had taken under, as I got closer, slowly, I noticed a bundle of wood they were both leaning around, the Gerudo was trying her hardest to set it alight with a bit of flint and a dagger but wasn't having any success.

As I approached, the Goron took notice of me and gave me a friendly wave, "Evening!" He called, and I gave him a grunt of acknowledgement. He was about average for a Goron, which, to be fair, was bigger than your average hyrulian by a wide margin. He had white hair, tied into a topknot not unlike a Sheikah, with various ropes around his body to help carry his own backpack. The Gerudo was naturally quite tall, something that I could tell even as she leaned over. Typical of Gerudo, she had dark skin not unlike my own, as well as dark hair that was cut short, with a blue and gold tiara resting on her head.

The Gerudo looked up to me, "Vasaaq." She said without looking up.

"Need any help?" I asked, placing a hand on my hip.

The Gerudo shook her head, "No, I…" She glanced up at me, then, her bright green eyes widened, "You are a Gerudo, vai?"

I resisted the urge to sigh; if only that were the case, "No, but I hear that a lot."

The Gerudo nodded once, then went back to trying to set the bundle of wood alight. Glancing at the Goron again, he caught my look and gave me a friendly grin, "You from around these parts miss?"

I shook my head, "I'm just a traveler."

The Goron laughed, "Well, I'm Boldon, Goron City's ambassador of tourism!" He proclaimed, a great bellow to his voice, and before I could respond, he continued, "Goron City's great! Everyone should visit at least once in their lives!"

I tilted my head once, I had never been to Goron City, the weather, or rather, volcano, was always too hot for me to get through. Besides, I would never be assigned to go up there, so I had no reason to make the the trek.

….I heard they had nice hot springs though.

Returning my attention back to the Gerudo trying to start a campfire, I kneeled down next to the logs, "And you?" I asked.

"...Laroba." The Gerudo replied.

I nodded once, then pulled out my own little firestarter, a flame arrow, "Here," I said, "This might work better."

Laroba looked up at me, an eyebrow raised, but slowly, she nodded, taking the arrow out of my hand. Now, normally, a fire arrow's magic was supposed to be only activated when notched to a bowstring, don't ask me how or why, however, there were a few ways to "cheat" the magic out of it. For example, handing it a Gerudo and letting them work their own magic on it.

Soon enough, Laroba had a fire going, and as she tossed aside my now useless arrow, the three of us were able to find relative comfort in the warmth of the flame. The wind was still harsh, but Boldon put himself between it and the fire, giving it enough protection from the cold to avoid being put out. Good, I only have so many of those fire arrows.

So, as we sat around the fire, trying to keep out of the of the rain as the moon began to rise, the three of us began to make small talk. Or, to be more accurate, Laroba and Boldon began to make small talk, I just pulled out an apple from my bag and threw it in the fire.

I wasn't really listening to their conversation, but I gathered that they were familiar with each other. Boldon more or less just spent a lot of time walking up and down the Akkala region, which made sense, as the path to Goron City was in Akkala. Laroba was a traveling merchant and trader, selling whatever jewls and supplies she could. On Laroda's pack was a Gerudo Scimitar and a shield, Boldon didn't have any weapons with him. Normally, I'd say that was probably because he didn't need any, but….well, he just didn't seem all that combat capable, too friendly, really. In other words, he had low numbers, so did Laroda, now that I think about it.

"So, did you two hear?" Laroda asked, "A rumor on the wind, about those towers that appeared a week ago. Some are saying that the recent rise in monsters are because of them."

Boldon nodded once, rubbing his head with obvious worry, "You think so?"

Laroda waved her hand once in the air, "It certainly feels that way, doesn't it? Once I was able to travel from Farron to Akkala without worry, but now Moblins are around every corner." She sighed once, "I will never find a Voe at this rate…"

"Don't give up!" Boldon exclaimed loudly, pumping his fists in the air, "I'm sure you'll find somebody someday!"

Laroda looked at Boldon, and nodded once, "Thank you…" She looked to me, "And you?"

I shrugged, but by now, my apple was nice and roasted, taking it out of the fire, I ignored the heat and answered Laroda before I took a bite out of it, "It's possible that with the recent appearance of those towers, a change in fate has occurred and something, or someone, has come back from the brink." The two of them looked at me, "What? I read." Rolling my eyes, I took a bite out of my apple, it was hot, but tasted good. Or, at least, it did for a few scant seconds before I had to spit it out.

The two of them stared at me.

"It wasn't ripe." I said after a pause.

Laroda gave me a flat stare, then drawled out, "Rigghhht." Then gave Boldon a look that probably said: _this person is a loon._

Well, she wasn't exactly _wrong,_ all things considered.

"But," Laroda continued, "That's not what I asked, I mean, young Vai like yourself surely must have someone."

I….I what? I don't...I...That is to say that, I mean well, I….

Evidently, my thoughts were on my face, because Laroda let out a gentle laugh at my expense, "Ha! I'm joking, you get riled up easy huh?"

Oh, ha ha.

I narrowed my reddish gold eyes at Laroda, then opened my mouth to let loose with a comeback that would have surely decimated her spirit, but, something else caught my attention. The rattling of bones and the shifting of dirt.

Stalkoblins, of course.

Turning, I saw that about three pairs of hands had begun to claw their way out of the dirt. In each of their hands was a old nicked sword a long spear, and as they began to emerge from the dirt fully, I stood up and reached for my sword. By now, the moon was a little bit past it's highest point.

"Laroda, Boldon, get ready for a fight!" I shouted, then turned to look at my "allies." Only, well, they were gone, like, poof, there one second, gone the next.

Looking around, I saw the faintest hit of Boldon and Laroda screaming and running away from the campsite and into the darkness.

"... _Seriously?"_ I gaped, "You two are lousy excuses for a Goron and Gerudo!" I yelled after them, then back at the Stalkoblins. They had low numbers, sure! But who the hell runs when it's three on three?!

Raising my sword in what could vaguely be called a fighting stance as the adrenaline shot through my veins. I forced the sudden shaking to come to a halt as I willed myself for battle. In the back of my mind, I wished that I had access to a lightning wand or something to make this marginally safer, but all I had to work with was my sword and my wits. Well, they would have to do, just like always.

There were three of these skeletons in total, meaning that I was rather outnumbered at the moment, but, thankfully, I could tell that these guys weren't all the great as they lumbered towards me, a few good swipes would probably enough to take one of them out. Two of them had swords, the other a spear. The sword users were the least of my worries, but the spear user had the advantage when it came to reach.

The first attack came, knocking me out of my thoughts as the Stalkbolin swung it's sword at me. Bringing up my own sword in a feeble attempt to defend myself, the shock from the Stalkbolins blow reverberated through my arms as I clenched my teeth and summoned the will to push the blade back. I had to keep moving, that's what I told myself as I took a step back as a glint of metal caught my eye. I was never the fastest, but this time I was fast enough as a Stalkbolin's sword barely missed me. Trying to strafe over to the left, I managed a feeble swing towards the first one's skull, which, somehow, splintered into bits upon contact with my blade. Don't ask me how, the magic holding these things together was probably flimsy at best.

Well, that was one less to deal with, at least.

Directing my attention over to the last sword user and spear user, both of whom were closing in on me. The spear wielder lunged at me once, and I hate to say it, but this time, I wasn't fast enough, as I moved my sword to deflect the blow, I found out that swords weren't all that great at blocking spears. The metal spear passed through my jacket and spilt my skin, my flesh felt red hot as I backed away, clutching my side. It was a light wound, thankfully, but that was what the calm part of me said, the normal side of me was screaming in pain.

Trying to ignore the pain as sweat fell on my brow, I gritted my teeth and lunged forward towards the spear Stalkoblin. Be it out of rage or desperation, but my strike was true, and by that, I mean it landed and the spear collapsed in a pile of bones. Not giving up on my momentum, I turned and swung violently, and by that, I mean my swing was rather haphazard and I over extended myself, but the last Stalkoblin fell under my blade nonetheless.

I breathed, once, twice, then I heard the shuffling of bones, and I turned just in time to see the first Stalkoblin literally pull itself together.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes, "...Wonderful."

Okay, so, these things could repair themselves from damage...but that wasn't the case, was it? I searched my memory as quickly as I could. When I hit the thing the first time, it just fell apart like a puppet, but...none of it was damaged. Damn, just what could I do…

Some rattling to my right caught my attention, and I saw the head of a Stalkoblin bouncing around, it's gold eyes glaring at me.

Oh...duh, the magic keeping them together must be in their heads, how else could they even work?

Stabbing down at the head next to me, I felt my sword pierce through the soft bone and plant into the dirt. Wrenching it out as viciously as I could, I met the now reassembled Stalkoblins with renewed vigor. Now that I knew their weakness, the odds were in my favor.

And about ten seconds later, the odds were still my favor as I flicked a bit of bone off my blade. The Stalkoblins were destroyed under my blows, and I have to admit, I was feeling pretty good about myself.

I continued feeling pretty good for myself for about two seconds before what was probably a tree trunk slammed into my back.

As much as I want to describe the sensation of being sent flying by what felt like a horse given the world's greatest swift carrot, I have to admit, I don't recall the feeling of being airborne. But I do keenly remember the feeling of hitting the ground hard enough to leave a sizable gorge in the dirt.

Needless to say: OW.

The sad part is, the pain didn't come all at once, it came slowly, in waves. Each second, or moment, I'm not quite sure, had the pain increasing, my head was spinning, and I felt the urge to vomit as I tried to get myself back up, but I was blacking out a lot. It also didn't help by the time I could barely open my eyes, I was seeing double.

So, that meant I was seeing two Stalmoblins. Basically, a very angry and very large Stalkoblin that liked to hold giant clubs that were probably made out of buildings.

I tried to get up, but all my motor functions were in shock, so the only thing I managed to do was get on my back, so I would be able to see my killer(s?) walk towards me, dragonbone clubs in their hands.

As they...it came closer to me, a...revelation occurred to me, it was for the best, wasn't it? Me dying long before I had to go. It was messed up, but I suppose that my mother figured this would happen.

My vision was clearing up too, just enough to make out that there was only one Stalmoblin, and he was standing right over me.

Well, this was just perfect, wasn't it?

I closed my eyes, surrendered myself to the darkness that clawed at the corners of my mind, and waited for the end.

* * *

Of course, I was never that lucky, because by the time I opened my eyes, I found that the sun had risen, and there was a Gerudo and Goron standing over me. My head was pounding, which was appropriate, all things considered.

I had wanted to ask what happened, and more importantly, how I was still alive, but all I got out was "Mhmgerbg?"

"She's alive!" The Goron, who I faintly remembered as Boldon, cheered.

"I told you so." The Gerudo, who I dimly recalled as Laroda, said sternly.

"Well, it's nice seeing you two cowards again," is what I wanted to say, but with my headache and the sudden but the familiar feeling of wanting to puke overtook me once again. I fought back against the urge to vomit as I tried to get to my feet, but Laroda held me down. I gave her, or, at least tried to, give her a glare, but with my head spinning, I think I all gave her was a loopy look or something.

"Are you okay?" Laroda asked, placing her hand on my shoulder, "We found you unconscious by the side of the road."

I tried to focus, and by some miracle, I was able to, "I...I was hit by a Stalmoblin…" I managed to get out, looking around, "Where…."

"Oh!" Boldon spoke up, "We when saw you weren't following us, you know, like a sane person, we headed back to see what you were doing, and found collapsed with a bunch of bones around ya."

"Wait…how did I live then?" I looked around, trying to find some evidence of my survival, "A Stalmoblin was right over me, and it was barely passed midnight. How…."

"Oh, that reminds me, a kid on a horse ran by us before we decided to turn around." Laroda said, "Perhaps he saved your behind."

"Oh, yeah!" Boldon agreed, "There was only one way he could have come after all."

It….made some sense. Forcing myself to stand up, I looked around.

It was morning, so there was plenty of light to see by, looking by the tracks left behind, I could make out a faint but visible horseshoes in the dirt.

"This...kid, what did he look like?" I asked as I trudged forwards slowly, the aches and pains of last night's brawl still resounding through my body.

I clutched my wounded side, expecting to find a massive gash in my waist, only to find tightly wrapped bandages around it.

Waaah?

"Did...did you two heal me?" I asked, turning around to face Boldon and Laroda.

The two of them looked at each other, shook their heads, then back at me. "No." Laroda said.

"Then...who did? My savior?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's the only thing that makes sense." Laroda said, then smirked at me, "Ooh, are you going to go after him? He didn't look half bad."

I snorted, loudly, "Yeah right, what did he look like anyway?"

"Blonde hair, blue eyes…" Boldon replied, "Blue tunic...had a sword and a shield on his back…"

I blinked, "Did he have anything on his waist?"

Laroda paused, "...Yes, actually, now that I think about it. It had a weird symbol on it too. Like an eye."

"I...see. Thank you." I nodded once, walked over to our previous shelter, found that my pack was still in good condition, slung it over my shoulders, ignored the pain that cropped up from doing so, and started following the horse tracks.

"H-hey, are you okay?" Boldon shouted, chasing after me. I hadn't made it very far, as I had only made it a few steps before he called out to me.

"Just...gotta…" I winced, clutching my sides again, "Gotta go meet my rescuer."

"I'm just saying, maybe you should take a rest, you don't look so good..." At this point, Boldon walked right in front of me, and I could hear Laroda following close behind. Reaching into his pack, Boldon pulled out a mirror of all things, and held it out in front of me.

I hate to say it, but he was right.

I mean, I usually don't look good even on the best of days, but as I looked myself over, I couldn't help but agree.

I had dark skin, well, more tanned than Gerudo dark if I'm being honest, with bright red hair that was tied into a ponytail. My reddish gold eyes looked back at me, and then I noticed the very large red gash on the side of my head.

Ooooh, that was the reason for the headache, that made sense. I hope I don't lose any brain functions because of it, I had a good memory, and I didn't want to lose it.

Beyond that however, well, my facial structure was fine...and by that, I mean I didn't have any other injuries on my face aside from a few bruises. Wow, I hit the ground hard huh?

My nose was still a little too big for my tastes though...hm.

But, beyond a few nicks and tears in my jacket, and the bandaged wound in my side, the rest of my body was still in...well, okay, it was in decent condition, not great, but working. My build, sadly, was not the best for long treks, but here I was.

Reaching up to touch the gash in my head, I fingered it gently then pulled back as a spark of pain shot through my skull, "O...kay, maybe you're right." I grumbled, "Where's the nearest stable?"

"It's pretty far out, but if you follow this path, there'll be a stable at the bottom of the hill." Boldon said, "Just make sure you take the first left, that will take you up to the stable and if you go further past, you'll be climbing Death Mountain."

I nodded, "Thanks." Then, holding my side, I started trudging along.

"Hey, um, don't you want some-"

"No offense," I said sharply, "But I really can't trust you two. You ran instead of staying and fighting, we could have won that fight easily, but you two ran off like scared children."

"Those were monsters!" Boldon returned, "You know, freaks of nature! Who wouldn't run from those?!"

I took a deep breath, "I think that "monster" is relative. A cat is a monster to a bird, and sometimes we mortals are worse than monsters. Besides…" I glanced back at them, glaring at them, "In battle, the only thing worse than an enemy is a terrified ally."

I said my piece, and with that, I kept walking.

* * *

By the time I got to the stable, it was midday. My bones were aching, my breath was heavy, and my body felt like it weighed a million tons. The wounds I had accumulated were taking their toll upon my body, Boldon and Laroda had gone and walked off somewhere else, and I couldn't care less. I had no stomach for cowards, besides, I couldn't stand the thought of walking alongside people who flee at the sight of danger. It's one thing to retreat if a situation is unwinnable, but it's another to run as soon as the enemy shows up. As I dragged myself over to the inn, a familiar scent on the wind caught my attention.

Bear.

Sweet, thick, juicy, _bear meat._

My legs began to carry themselves as I followed the scent. I won't lie, I'm a sucker for bear meat, and after this morning, I was _starving._

Reaching Foothill stable, which was at the foot of the hill (real creative naming scheme there guys), I trudged up the rocky steps and found where the scent originated from. In a cooking pan, the meat was being cooked expertly, with rock salt and mushrooms in the mix too. I won't lie, just looking at it just made me hungry, more than I already was, I mean.

Only, here's the thing: The cook was a young man, around my age now that I think about it, with blond hair, bright blue eyes, green pants, a sword and shield on his back, with a bright blue tunic with a very distinctive sword emblem on the chest. Not to mention, a very strange looking...um, tome or something on his waist. He didn't look that tough, but I could tell that he was probably a lot stronger than what appearances suggested.

There was no doubt about it, this was Link, my "hero."

At the moment, he was focused on his cooking and not so much as looking in my direction. After a moment, I cleared my throat, "Um, hey." I said, placing a hand on hip and trying to look as composed as possible, "You're the guy who saved me, right?"

Link glanced up from his cooking and looked towards me, he didn't say anything, but I could see his eyes widen in recognition of me. After a moment's pause, he nodded once. As he did, I noticed something peculiar about the sword he carried on his back. It wasn't a normal longsword, but rather, it was curved like a scythe, a Vicious Sickle, a weapon of the Yiga Clan.

"First off, before you say anything," I began, "I mean it when I say thank you, so believe me when I say that this is nothing personal _hero._ " Link's eyes widened as I said that, "But since you already seen this shtick before, I think I'll skip the conversation. I'll be taking your life and your dinner!" I yelled, reaching for my sword and...grasped nothing but air. Ooooh, right, it got knocked from my hand when I was sent flying, didn't it?

Link, for his part, just put both of his hands on his waist and looked me with a mixture of amusement and wariness.

"..." I sighed, rubbing my head, "I just recovered from being knocked out, I'm allowed a few mistakes." I grumbled.

Link just shook his head, then reached for his sword. With a grumble, I put both of my hands together in a sign, pointer and index fingers clasped together and pointing upwards, "Okay, fine, I'll do the transformation...Gods I hate this…"

I really hated using this spell, since while it allowed for me to use Yiga magic, it also cut off the majority of my own skills due to the restraints the spell placed. That, and it looked awful too.

What? A girl can care about her appearance!

Of course, I never got to even transform in the first place, because Link threw the Vicious Sickle right in my face, knocking me to the ground as it exploded, for some reason, on impact. As my world went dizzy, again, I forced the growing panic down and tried to remain calm. Trying to evaluate the situation, I ran a few numbers in my head. The Hero was fast and skilled, not to mention, armed and ready. In contrast, I was exhausted, hungry, had no weapons or armor, on the verge of passing out,

….Why did I think trying to pick a fight with the guy was a good idea, again?

Oh yeah, "Master" Kogha is an _IDIOT_ for drilling into us that you should try to kill the hero as soon as you saw him!

Oy vey….I would, at the very least, liked to be killed by the sword that seals the darkness, that would be something worth dying to, and he's probably going to crush me with a hammer or something.

As my senses came back, and pain exploded into my side, my sudden drop probably reopening a few wounds, I tried peer past the dizziness to see Link coming towards me, Sheikah Eightfold blade drawn. Oh, gonna be killed by the blade of the Sheikah, that's fitting, I guess.

As Link jumped in the air, I closed my eyes and waited for the end….again.

Only, after a few moments passed, nothing came. I opened my eyes, I found that Link was standing over me, blade pointed at my throat.

"...So, um…" I blinked, "Are you going to kill me or…" Link didn't respond, he just narrowed his eyes at me. Raising my hands, palms facing him, I tried to be diplomatic, "Okay...I'm kinda confused, why aren't you...you know, gutting me like a fish?"

Link just blinked in response.

"Look, Hero," I narrowed my eyes, "I appreciate you saving me before, I really do, but I also know that you defeated other Yiga clansmen before, so why am I getting the special treatment?"

He told me why and I gotta say, he's got quite a voice. A little bit terse though, but I guess that's to be expected if you wake up from a 100-year long nap.

"Oh, you think I know something of your past?" Link nodded once, but I glanced away. Propping myself up on my right elbow, I winced as pain shot through my side. Shaking my head, I looked back at Link, "Sorry, I don't know much, only that you were some kind of "hero" or something and served the Princess, Zelda."

Link sighed, then sheathed his sword.

"Are you...letting me go?" I asked, gently.

Link nodded.

"Oh...uh, thanks." I said. I was honestly a bit surprised he was letting me live, I mean, I don't think I could extend the same level of mercy but…

But...well, my stomach growled, loudly, and Link looked at me again, raising an eyebrow.

"...Look, I haven't had breakfast, okay?" I grumbled, "You already beat me, don't rub salt in the wound."

Link chuckled, then went back to his cooking.

Standing up and ignoring the pain and aches as I did, I rubbed my head once, then sighed. Link glanced back at me, eyebrow raised. I shrugged, "Well, I am quite literally contracted to do this, so uh...You haven't seen the last of me hero, and all that noise." I said with a wave of my hand, then clasped my hands together, and disappeared in a puff of smoke. It's a handy escape tool, a bit limited in range, but I knew how to control it well enough.

Link looked around once, rubbed his head, sighed, then went back to his cooking...only to find it gone, mostly because I had stolen it when he was busy looking for me. He turned quickly, just in time to see me, standing in the doorway of the inn, holding the well-done bear meat in my hand, "Sorry Hero," I winked at him, "But a girl's gotta eat."

And with that, I disappeared again.

As I reappeared a safe distance away, and by that, I mean behind a couple of barrels, out of Link's sight, I stretched my hearing just enough far to hear Link groan loudly in frustration. Eh, he'll get over it, I left him a purple rupee.

Chewing on my stolen goods, I smirked, then winced as my head started hurting again...ooowwww…

* * *

Hello Hello, this is my...well, for better or worse, proof that I can write. For you see, I am going to take up writing comissions pretty soon, and this story will be seen as proof of what I can do. If you want to see some of my other stories I wrote when I was much younger, but if you want to see my most recent story, just search for my username on FictionPress.


	2. Chapter 2

I crossed my arms and tapped with my left one as I waited for the giant jerk in front of me to finish speaking. He was a Yiga Blademaster, and I don't know what they feed those guys, but holy triforce he was bigger than Boldon. I knew this Blademaster personally, as he was my "handler" so to speak, as well as a trainer of mine in the Yiga arts. I never had any real respect for him, as he was the sort of guy who liked to boss around his underlings and generally make their lives miserable for no real reason. I imagine that he liked to think of himself as a leader, but he was more of a jackass to be perfectly honest.

He was going on about how I "missed my chance," or something like that regarding the Hero, to be perfectly honest, I was only paying half attention.

"Finally," The blademaster who's name I never bothered remembering, finished up, "You never give your superiors proper respect."

Yeah, see? Jackass.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, and instead, kept my gaze firmly on the Blademaster's white mask. I bet his name was Jimmy, or something. If I appear more flippant then before, rest assured, it was because I had no respect for this guy whatsoever. But, rather than voice that, I said in a clear, firm voice, "Sir, forgive me, when I saw the hero, I felt the teachings of the Yiga clan flow through me, and I could not stop myself." I wanted to vomit as I said that, but no reason to give this guy even more reason to dislike me.

I couldn't see his expression, but I could tell Jimmy didn't like what I said, "How do I know that you're only telling me what I want to hear?"

I narrowed my eyes, "Because the next time I see the Hero, I will come up with a proper strategy, just like I planned the heist of the Thunder Crown." That particular event was something I could look back on with pride, or at least, satisfaction. In that entire debacle, no one had gotten hurt, none of the Gerudos, and none of my men. In fact, the only reason I didn't consider it a perfect win was because one the Yiga responsible had decided to be an idiot and announce that it was the Yiga clan who had done it instead of slipping away quietly like I wanted.

The moron had even done it from the rooftops too! I swear, he was trying to get the hideout found out.

"About that," The blademaster spoke up, "It appears that in-between your...recovery period, our home was raided, the Thunder Crown was stolen, and Master Kogha...was….was…"

...Wow, so this guy _is_ capable of feeling something other than jackassery. So, Master Kogha was killed, huh? Can't say I'm surprised, the guy was a great teacher, but a terrible fighter.

Maybe it was the pressure of combat? Who knew.

"I...see. How did he die?" I asked.

"By the Hero's hands." Jimmy said with venom in voice, spitting out the words like they were acid on his tongue, "We cannot allow this transgression to stand, the next time you see the Hero, you must take his life."

I nodded once, "Will do sir, for the glory of the Yiga."

"For the glory of the Yiga." Jimmy replied, then, in a puff of smoke, he disappeared, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I was standing on an empty road in the Akala region, near the cliffs and overlooking a single plateau in the center of the lake, where a ring of rocks stands on top of it. I had been on my way to the Stable, originally, since I had a few errands to run, and stuff to sell. My encounter with the Hero had messed me up pretty bad, so, at my own behest, I decided it was a good idea to give the Hero a wide berth to recover. Hyrule was pretty big, after all, the chances of us running into each other again were small. It had only been a few days, most of which I had spent in the wilderness and trying to remain still so my injuries wouldn't open again. I didn't know any healing spells or magic, so all I could was try to patch myself up and remain in one place. I swear, I don't know how the Hero does it.

Maybe it was something he ate?

But, regardless, I was on my own again, and thus, I had nothing to do but think.

Moving back to my makeshift "camp" on the right "island" of the Akkala falls, I planted my butt down and went back to tending my wounds. My camp consisted of a fire, and my bedroll, overlooking the Lake Akkala and the aforementioned Rock circle.

Anyway, it was about midafternoon, and the sun was setting. It was quite a nice sight, if only because I was sitting on a cliff with one helluva view. My outfit was rather plain, which was because my only other outfit was in tatters. It consisted of a simple grey hempen shirt with pants, with pouches on the waist for holding stuff.

As I sat there, I found myself pondering just what the hell what it was I was doing with my life.

I mean, I was sitting there with multiple injuries, a nasty gash in my head, a bruise on my forehead, and I was hungry too, the Hero's bear meat had lasted me for a while, but I was on my reverses, which was comprised only of bananas.

I _hate_ bananas. They fed me that crap during my "trainee" days and I just wanted to vomit every single time.

I was seriously considering just tossing them to the wind, but they were my only source of food. I mean, I could fish, but I didn't have a pole, and I didn't want to risk reaching for any fish, that would probably lead to my death via falling off the cliff.

So, there I was, sitting alone by my campfire as the sun began to set. I'd probably be attacked again, as I had been the first few nights. I wonder what it was that drew the Monsters to people? Was it our blood that called them? Or was it something that was instinctive to them?

Well, either way, it didn't really change the fact that Monsters were dangerous, and liable to cave your head in just because.

...Actually, I don't think I've ever heard of a Monster related death, most of what I heard were injuries and what not, but no casualties. Either they had a sense of mercy, or they just liked to toy with their food.

As I mulled over my monster musing, I heard the sound of footsteps on dirt coming from the road. For a moment, I considered jumping behind a rock and letting them pass...only, well, when I saw who it was, I immediately stopped giving a damn.

It wasn't the Hero, but instead, a hylian male with open blue vest, white bandages around his waist, green pants, a hammer over his shoulder, and acorn shaped hair.

It was...quite a sight, but what really caught my eye, aside from the hair, was the very...well, assured he way he carried himself. Like, he walked as if nothing was going to stop him, not confidence, per say, more like..certainty?

As the acorn haired guy walked on by, he caught sight of my campfire, and by extension, me, and thus, marched on over to me.

"Hello, name's Hudson." He said.

"Hello." I greeted in reply.

"Is this a free fire?" Hudson asked.

"It is." I replied.

"May I?"

"...Sure."

Hudson sat down at my campfire on the eastern side, I was on the southern side, facing the north.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Boss has me transfered." Hudson replied.

I waited for him to continue, "...And?"

"Big expansion coming up."

"...What is it you do, exactly?" I asked, starting to feel a little annoyed at the remarkable lack of info this man was giving.

"Construction." Hudson said.

"Ah, okay, you build buildings then…" I looked him over, all he had was a hammer, "...All by yourself?"

"Yes."

"...Okay then." I said after a pause. Brilliant conversation, indeed. We sat there, in silence, for a while, long enough in fact, for the sun to set and the moon to rise yet again. Hudson was not one to instigate a conversation, it seemed. Hudson...Hudson, where have I heard that name before? Hud...son, son...Ah, I got it. The Bolson construction company, I had seen one of their "houses" last time I was in Hateno village. Always thought they were a bit cramped and gaudy, to be honest, not really worth the cost. That, and didn't they have the weirdest recruitment policy?

I decided to venture this question forth, "Hey, is it true that you only people whose last name ends in 'Son?" I asked.

"Yes."

"...Why?"

"Builds unity, the boss says." Hudson answered.

While the intent behind it had good foundations, that is, building bonds between workers, I had to admit, that was the most stupid idea I had ever heard. What if you needed to hire somebody, but their name didn't end in 'Son?' You'd be up creek without a paddle. But, I did not voice this opinion, instead, all I said in reply was, "Huh."

This lead to another long period of silence, and soon enough, my stomach started to growl. I sighed once, then went over to my bananas. Oh well, at least I could cook them in the fire, that would lessen the taste, a little. Carrying them back, I saw that Hudson took out his food, and found that he pulled out a bird thigh and tossed it against the fire.

"...Any more of those?" I asked.

"Yes." Hudson replied, taking out some more.

"Can I have some?" I pleaded.

"...Sure."

And that is how I narrowly avoided eating bananas.

As I ate, munching down on the bird thigh Hudson cooked for me, I allowed myself to enjoy the sensation of meat for a minute, taking in the sweet thickness and warm texture of the meat before Hudson, of all people, caught me off guard with a single question, which was: "Are you with the Yiga clan?"

If he was trying to kill me via choking, it almost worked. I stopped mid chew in shock, and some meat caught in my throat, hacking violently, I felt my airways clog for a moment before I spat out the meat caught in my throat. Coughing, my throat pulsed with pain and I placed a hand to my mouth. "H-how," I forced out, "How do you know that?"

Hudson looked to the bananas, which rested on my side, "Those…" He looked at my side, specifically, at my wound, "That."

"T-that could be a coincidence!" I pointed out, "Anyone could have...these, and…" I sighed, admitting defeat, "Fine, you got me. What really gave it away though? It couldn't just be...these…" I flicked the bananas away with my hand, "Or my wound."

"Your ears." Hudson said, and at once, I felt a rush of embarrassment. My ears weren't the usual Hylian type, instead of being pointy and long, they were round and short. I blamed my mother, personally.

"I...see...wait," I blinked, those three things together weren't enough, but if he took a gamble... "My reaction, you were counting on it, weren't you?"

"I was." Hudson said, nodding.

"...You're smarter than you look, you know." I admitted.

He grinned, if only slightly, "Thank you."

"So, what happens now?" I asked, "You looking for a fight?" I eyed his hammer, it was large, sure, and he looked like he was used to it's weight. But I was used to combat, deprived of a weapon I may have been, but I was never deprived of my mind. I could win if I planned this just right...

But, to my surprise, Hudson shook his head, "No."

I raised an eyebrow, "You know, most people would normally fear or hate the Yiga clan." I pointed out.

"Maybe." Hudson replied.

"...So why don't you?" I asked, feeling my nerves grinding to dust with each passing second.

"Should I be?"

"Of the Yiga Clan?" I blinked.

"Hm." Hudson Hm'd.

I have to admit, I wasn't quite sure what to say or do, as Hudson gave no indication that he considered me a threat in anyway, or any indication of his thoughts, for that matter. I made a mental note not to play card against this guy, but at the same time, I also was just...really confused. Hudson wasn't an enemy, yet the Yiga clan's teachings said that any outsider who knows of us must be silenced….but I don't think Hudson is likely to tell anyone, I think. I don't think he really cared enough to spill, truth be told.

Ugh, this is giving me a headache.

Shaking my head in frustration, I glanced aside, "So, what are you looking for then?" I asked.

"Hm." Hudson replied, "Wood, bundles of it."

"Bundles of...wood?" I furrowed my brow, "Like, for houses?"

He nodded once.

"I...see." I shook my head yet again, "I'm going to sleep, see you in the morning, if you're still here, that is." Standing up, I went over to my bed roll.

Hudson nodded once, then… "By the way, are you a Gerudo?"

I blinked once, stopping in my tracks as I did. Turning around to face Hudson, I shook my head, "No, I get asked that a lot though. Why? Do you need a Gerudo for something?"

"Mh." Hudson looked away from me.

O-kay, that was weird, rubbing the back of my head, I put my brain to work. Let's see, he asked if I was a Gerudo, common mistake, but when I asked if he needed one, he neglected to answer. Could just be him, but if that's the case, why did he look away? Did he...oh. Ah.

That's the ticket.

"Let me guess, you've got an appreciation for Gerudo women?" I asked, crossing my arms, "Can't say I blame you, they are...kinda eye catching."

"...No." Hudson said after a very distinct pause.

I looked at him for a minute, then sighed, "Look, I'm not gonna tease, okay? In fact, I kinda wish I was in your position….being able to marry, that is."

He looked at me, and I could tell via a very slightly raised eyebrow he was surprised.

I just let my shoulders sag, "Let's just say in the Yiga Clan, they don't exactly allow for...familial relations."

"That's sad." Hudson said.

"It is." I agreed, "One guy actually left because he was seeing somebody, I don't know where he is now, but I hope he's happy."

"Who was he?" Hudson asked.

"He was Dorian, if I remember right." I shook my head once, "I don't know what happened to him, but I hope he's happy, where-ever he is."

There was nothing more for me to really say, or do, so I placed myself down on my bedroll, and closed my eyes. If I woke up, then I'd either be bound and roped, or dead. Either one, really.

* * *

Surprisingly, when I woke, I was not tied up and gagged like I half expected, nor had I been killed wist I slept, not by Hudson, nor by Monsters. As I looked around, groggily, for the reason of my survival, I noted that Hudson was gone. There were a few cracks in the rocks beside me, but other than that? Nothing worthy of note.

It was about sun rise as I woke, so, as the rays of the sun shined on overhead, I blinked once, twice, then yawned as loudly as I could. It was distinctly unlady like, but I could feel the haze in my brain, I needed to wake up as soon as possible. Sadly though, I was never a quick riser, much to the annoyance of my teachers.

I glanced around, looking for Hudson despite my slow brain telling me to go back to sleep. He was nowhere to be found, and after a moment, I rose from my bedroll. Yawning once again, I waited for myself to finish, then called out, "Hudson? Where….where'd ya go?" I asked in a sleepy tone.

I got a response of silence from the campsite, aside from the wind blowing. I was totally, and completely alone.

After a moment, I said, "Huh." Then started to pack up my camp, there really wasn't much left for me to do, and my "recovery period" was coming to an end soon. As I started to pack, a question wormed it's way into my mind. What company did Hudson say he worked for? Bolson, right? They were in Hateno village, if I remembered correctly.

...Well, I could use the exercise, I suppose. Gathering up things, I placed my backpack over my shoulder, and started walking. Whatever business I had in the Akkala region could wait after all, I don't think Robbie is going anywhere, anyway.

Sides, I got the feeling that the Hero would be a would bit peev'd at me for robbin' Robbie.

As I made my way back over Ternio Trail, retracing my steps as I did, I found myself at the same spot where I first met Boldon and Laroda. If my memory was right, that is. Glancing around, I searched for my fallen sword amongst the grass. I wasn't really expecting it to still be there, where-ever it was. It had been a few days after all, and somebody else had probably stolen it.

Such was my luck after all.

But, as I abandoned my search for my fallen sword, my ears perked up as I heard the rather distinct sound of wings flapping overhead. Glancing up, it quickly dawned on me that I wasn't the only traveler on this road. It was a Gerudo, nor a Goron, but rather, a Rito that was slowly descending towards me. Not just any Rito, but a rather large, kinda blueish grey one that looked like the Rito equivalent of a body builder. As he flew down, landing a few feet in front of me, I noticed an Accordion on his back. Huh, a Rito musician...wait, where have I heard of that before….

Well, anyway, the Rito Minstrel in front of me was, like I said, quite large. He had a long white scarf on, with a brown layered tunic underneath. He had mostly blue feathers, like I said before, but also bright green and white around his talons...claws? I don't wanna say hands but...Um…

Anyway, the Rito, as he landed, glanced over his shoulder towards me. I have to say this for the Rito, they have damn cold glares. A shot of fear spread throughout my system as the Rito looked at me, and I found myself involuntary taking a step back. My skin felt clammy, and suddenly all of senses were put on high alert, all these feelings and more welled up inside me, but I clamped down on them, hard. You always had to keep a level head, after all. Even if it is forced.

After a moment of staring at me, the Rito turned, and held up a very familiar looking sword. Only, well, he pointed it at _me._

Shit.

"Um…" I searched for a response to this, eventually, I came out with: "Is there a reason in particular you're point that thing at me?" I asked.

He didn't respond, the Rito just...stared at me, but only for a few moments before he grinned. Flipping the sword around in his grip, he extended it towards me, this time in a more friendly manner. I blinked once, then twice, then I began to walk towards him slowly. I still didn't trust this guy, but as I extended my hand out to reach for my sword, he pulled his claw-hand back suddenly, "Ah, before you do that, I would like to have a few words with you."

I narrowed my eyes, "What's the big idea?" I snapped.

He narrowed his own, "At the stable, I was a witness to your….attempt on that young man's life." My blood froze as he said those words, "Yiga Clan, if I'm not mistaken. Your kind are the only ones bold enough to attack somebody in broad daylight."

I fought back the urge to snark, and instead, settled on a glare, "What do you want?" I asked, my voice terse and cold.

"Just to give a friendly little warning, though I suppose that's unneeded." The Rito said, "Ah, where are my manners, my name is Kass."

"Kass." I repeated, testing his name on my tongue.

"And you?" Kass asked.

"Unimportant." I replied.

"I see." Kass looked down at me, which wasn't exactly hard, "Well, miss "Unimportant," I trust you know what could happen should the worst befall that young man."

"I'm….aware." I'd have to be a complete dunce if I didn't, hell, you didn't even need to know all the specifics to know what would happen if Link failed in his quest. Ganon would come back in all his destructive glory, killing all in his path, sparing none.

Wouldn't be the first time I was told that tale.

"Then you know what would befall you, should that happen." He crossed his very large arms, while making sure that my blade did not touch a single feather on his arm wings. For all his bulk, it seemed that Kass was actually quite nimble with his talons.

For what it was worth, Kass did have a point, but…"Ganon or not, everybody dies." I replied, "You, me, everyone. Be it because of time, darkness, or even light, everything will fade."

Kass looked at me, his expression stern, but he raised a single eyebrow.

"...Sorry," I grumbled, "I'm not a very happy person."

"I...see." Kass said after a pause, "So, to get down to the bare bones of it, I understand that you will attempt to take that young man's life again?"

I sighed, rubbing my head as I did, "...Threatening me is pointless. I'm just a grunt, even if I were to call it off, some other grunt will try to take a swing at him."

Kass looked me dead in the eyes, then nodded, as if affirming something to himself, "Very well." And, with that said, he uncrossed his arms, and held up my sword again, this time in reverse grip.

Taking it, I glanced down at the blade, "So, why give this back to me if I'm the "enemy?" I asked.

"The paths are dangerous, these days." Kass returned, "It feels wrong to leave a young girl like you without a weapon."

"Gee, thanks." I said dryly.

"Besides," Kass chirped, "I get the feeling that you're resourceful enough to find a new one all on your own."

Well, he wasn't wrong. As I took my sword back and placed it in it's sheath, Kass The Rito nodded once, "Very well, I must be off. Do try to remember what I said, though. And, if I may make an observation…" Kass looked to the sky, "A half-finished strategy will serve no one, don't you agree?"

I blinked once, my breathing slowing down slightly as he said those words. How did he...Was he right? Was he wrong? I…

As Kass took to the sky, I shook my head to clear my thoughts. But, what he said, it stuck with me no matter how hard I tried to push it back to the back of my mind.

Strategy...my mother always told me the importance of having a strategy….What was mine?

* * *

 **You know, I actually had some hesitation about posting this chapter, part of it just didn't feel right...but then I decided: "Eh," and then just winged it. Anyway, be sure to review and tell me what you think!**


	3. Chapter 3

Have you ever read a novel about a journey, or an adventure? Maybe a dashing hero to rescue a princess? How about a amnesic person with a bad past teaming up with some odd but good natured folks? Now, do you remember any bits that detailed the protagonist just walking along? No conversation, no exciting incidents, just...walking?

No?

Well, why would you? Those parts are boring, and aren't important to the overall plot of the book. Unless it's to set up a scene or to establish a character, odds are you aren't going to read those parts of the book. It was literally just...walking along, doing nothing of note. No zany schemes, no exciting adventures or meaningful conversations, though that one required a traveling companion, which I lacked at the moment. Sure, there was the odd passerby, but other than that, I was basically on my own, and I won't lie, aside from being boring, it was also pretty depressing. But, such was the life of the Yiga...yeah.

You know what the worst part is? Despite serving Ganon, the Yiga clan is treated just the same as any other hyrulian when it comes to monsters. That is, they try to kill us the same as they do normal people, and, well, normal people try to kill us the same way they would to monsters...if they didn't treat with us with disdain, that is.

Yet, as I walked through Dueling Peaks, I couldn't help but remember one very important thing.

During the day, the lands of Hyrule were fraught with danger, sure, but...here's the thing, if you knew what you were doing, you could avoid them for the most part. Boboklins stuck to abandoned villages and destroyed outposts, the 'robes tended to be easy to spot, and, well, Lynels stuck to open fields in the remote parts of the land. Basically, if you stuck to the route, and avoided a few "pitfalls," then you were golden.

That's what I tried to tell myself as I ducked my head under a rock suddenly being shot towards my head.

You see, another thing worth noting was that some monsters liked to hide in the water, like Octorocks, for example.

I didn't have any long-range weapons, nor any skill with them, so, that left me ducking and weaving with as much grace as a duck in the snow. The good thing about Octorocks was that if you managed to figure out where they were, it would be fairly easy to calculate how the rocks would be shot, the bad thing about Octorocks was that, if there was one, you can bet on there being more.

Which explains the sudden, second rock that clipped me in the head.

I let a sharp cry of pain as I dove to the side, but sadly, there was little to no cover as I scampered away from the Octorocks firing at me. I was under the Dueling Peaks, and that meant there was only one route available to me least I felt like climbing a mountain, and, well, I suck at climbing.

After a few minutes of frantic running, I emerged from out of the mountain's underside and at the bridge, the Stable in sight. There was a shrine nearby with blue light emerging out of it. Huh, weren't those things supposed to be orange or something? Well, either way, the sun was out, I was tired, I was bleeding, and I felt like taking a nap under a tree.

* * *

Of course, I didn't get that nap because, well, the pain in my head meant that was hard for me to get to sleep, but I did have a book to read, so that was a comfort. I may or may not have stolen it from a ruined house I passed along the way, along with a few others, but that's neither here nor there.

It was, however, an old tale, about how one of the hero's previous incarnations lead a vast army to victory against a magical sorceress.

I...didn't understand some of the plot, especially the merging of the worlds part, but I did enjoy the parts where they discussed strategy and tactics. Some of them were a little flawed, but they had merit. Though, if I had one criticism for that army, it would be that they were a little too reliant on the lead characters in the story, a army's strength came from the whole, not from one or two, however remarkable, soldiers.

That, and the Link in the story was a bit too, how can I put it, loose. He always ran headfirst into things without a plan, relying purely on his skills to see him through. If this story was even half true, then he probably got a lot of his troops killed, which irked me. I don't care _who_ you are, if you're in command, it's your job to make sure _all_ of your troops come home, or the operation is a failure. Call me naive, but a tactician who left anything to chance is a poor one indeed.

Leaning back on the tree I was resting under, I took a deep breath, closed my book and placed it down, and closed my eyes. Allowing the wind of the plain to wash over me, for a moment, just a moment, I allowed myself a moment's peace.

And when I opened my eyes, I blinked once. I was half expecting something to jump me right there, I admit.

I glanced to the left, no one was there. I glanced to the right, still no one.

I sighed in relief, it appeared that no one was there to disturb my rest. It was funny, most of the time for me, life always went the way I expected it to, down the gutter. It was rare for me to actually get an actual moment of peace and quiet.

It was...nice.

The wind on my face, the coolness of the shade, the blue sky overhead, all things I so rarely got in life.

I took a deep breath once again, and looked up through the tree's leaves. The leaves were swaying in the breeze, rustling, a gentle chime from nature itself, it was like the wild itself was breathing, in a way.

But, all good things must come to an end, because as I watched the tree's sway, I saw a hand reach around the trunk of the tree above me, and as I raised an eyebrow, squinting to sharpen my vision, I saw a blue tunic emerge, and a very familiar head of blond hair poke out from the side.

The Hero looked down and saw me, and I looked up and saw him.

After a moment of silence between us, I spoke first, "Climb here often?" I asked with a grin.

The Hero blinked once, then jumped down next to him, I didn't bother to get up, since I really wasn't in the mood for a fight anyway. Besides, the Hero looked a bit tougher than the last I saw him, so it would probably be a bad idea to pick a fight with him now.

"What were you doing up there, anyway?" I asked.

In response, the Hero pulled out a apple and held it up for me.

"Ah, apple picking, gotcha." I nodded.

The Hero's eyes flickered, and I saw that he glanced at the cover of my book. Not surprising, it was pretty eye catching after all. The symbol of the Triforce with the title, "HYRULIAN KNIGHTS" written in big red letters, was hard to miss.

Lifting it up, I smirked at him, "You up for a read?"

Surprisingly, the Hero nodded once, and sat down next to me. Opening to a random page, I shifted the book, so the Hero would have a clear view of the pages. "By any chance, do you know anything of your past lives?" I asked.

He shook his head, and I could see a shade of confusion in his eyes as he scanned the book.

"Hm, I wonder that's like." I wondered aloud, "To see yourself in a book, but at the same time...it's not you. Honestly, I bet that's like, the world's worst case of deja vu, or something." The Hero chuckled at that, and I hate to admit it, but I giggled a little as well. It was a poor joke, but you can chuckle at bad humor once or twice. Despite myself, I continued, "Well, this particular you was a part of a large army, even fighting alongside a princess Zelda at one point." I flipped to another page, which had a picture of the two. The Zelda in the picture had long golden hair covered by a fancy looking tiara and wore royal golden armor. In her hand was an elegant rapier, and light magic swirled all around her, and I hate to admit, but this Zelda had me beat in the feminine department. Seriously, she looked every bit the royal princess, not to mention, well, she had curves and I...well, I looked like a vagabond. Actually, on that note...

"Hey, um," I rubbed the back of my neck, "By any chance, does this Zelda look like yours?"

The Hero took a second to look at me, then back to the picture. He looked...sad, almost, like, while this was Zelda, it wasn't _his_ Zelda. I glanced back at the picture, this time toward the Link in it. In contrast to the Hero sitting beside me, this Link was decked in part plate armor with a green tunic underneath. He even had a funny hat and a blue fairy flying with him, not to mention, a very long and blue scarf that looked like it whipped around a lot.

"Hm…Not bad, a little prettier looking then this guy. I think this particular Hero is compensating for something?" I joked, elbowing the Hero next to me in the ribs. To my surprise, the Hero chuckled slightly, and then pushed me in the shoulder playfully.

The two of us shared a grin, then, I handed him the book fully. "Here, in case you want to read up on your past self."

The Hero blinked once, then took the book out of my hands.

"That's only a loan though." I said, "Be sure to give it back to me in good condition."

The Hero nodded once, closing it and storing it….um, I actually don't know where. He just sort of...placed it behind his back, in a pouch that was way too small for a book. But, it didn't bulge out or anything, speaking of, where was he keeping the other apples, he had to have more…Were they on a horse or something? I don't see one….How….I don't….

Before my brain broke, I forced myself to focus on another topic, "So, Hero, tell me something, did you really kill Master Gogha?" I asked, trying to keep my voice a little less hostile and more curious in tone.

The Hero raised an eyebrow at me, then nodded.

"Ah, how did he die? If you don't mind me asking."

He told me.

I blinked, "Hero, I like to think, as enemies and all, that we have a certain bond of trust between the two of, so please don't lie to me and tell me how he really died." The Hero repeated his story, and, well…. "You're not lying." I said flatly, "That's….really dumb."

The Hero shrugged as I buried my head in my hands, "Gods, I can't believe I worked for that guy…" I blinked, "I still work for that guy! I'm now literally contracted to hunt you down because of a stupid blood oath my mother made! I don't even want to be a Yiga! They like bananas way too much! And who places themselves above a bottomless pit?! I don't care if you can float, that's such a stupid idea!"

As I groaned, bemoaning my former boss's stupidity, the Hero placed a hand on my shoulder and patted it twice, his way of saying, "there there," I guess.

"Hero, take from it me, don't sign on to work ancient orders, it never goes well." I said, rubbing my head.

The Hero nodded once, taking in my sage wisdom as I made to stand up.

"Well, I'm going to Hateno village," I said, brushing dirt and whatnot off my pants, "I am going to see if those houses Hudson mentioned are all up to snuff."

The Hero raised an eyebrow at me, and I placed a hand on my hip, "Some guy who works for a company who only hires people whose names end in 'son. He's gonna build a new town, or something," I shrugged, "If you were to ask me, it sounds like a bad policy."

The Hero just waved his hand, his way of brushing away concerns, I guess. For a second or two, I mused on the irony of the situation here, one legendary hero of Hyrule swore to protect it from any and all enemies who didn't really speak, having a conversation with a nobody who was sworn to serve Hyrule's greatest enemy because my mother believed in hiding in places nobody would expect.

Well, at least my "father" would get a kick of out the situation, he was kinda a jackass that way.

As I stood up, a sudden surge of pain shot through my skull, "Gah!" I gah'd as I placed a hand to my skull, my fingers tracing along the spot I was struck from before, "Damn Octorocks." I growled out, hissing a bit as I did.

In a flash of movement that I barely saw, the Hero was right in front of me. For a moment, I thought he was going to use the opportunity to skewer me with his sword, but, instead, all he did was narrow his eyes at my wound.

"Um…" My eyes darted around as I felt a rush of confusion replace my pain, "I got hit in the head from an Octorock by the river." I explained for no reason other than to help alleviate the confusion I felt. I suppose, if this were a novel, I would be flushed at how close the Hero was, and I suppose I would school girl over how amazing his eyes were, how nice his hair looked, and his warm breath….

But...well, here's the thing: he wasn't really my type. I think. I dunno, I've never felt...uh, romantic feelings...for anyone, I have no idea how they work. I mean, what do you look for? Their capacity to lead an army? Their diligence, their skills with a magical sword? Their oddly colored hair? Any royal symbols like the Triforce or dragons?

I honestly have no idea, which is why I gently, slowly, grabbed the Hero's hand and pushed it away, "I'm fine." I mumbled, "Always am."

Gods know why I said the second part, but for some reason, it worked, or at least, the Hero was willing to let the matter drop. As the Hero took a step back and placed his hands on his hips, I rubbed the non-injured part of my head, "So, uh, what do you want to do now? I mean, normally I'm supposed to yell, "prepare to die hero" right now but I'm pretty sure I'd get my butt kicked if I fought you right now, and I'd really rather avoid it, but I guess I have to, and...and…" I pinched the bridge of my nose, "where'd you get that claymore?" I asked.

In the Hero's hands was a very large, two handed claymore that probably belonged to some knight or something. And in reply, the Hero shrugged his shoulders and readied himself, o-kay, apparently, he was looking for a fight. Gods, that thing could cleave me in half…

"Um…" I looked around, "I think I'm gonna…" Think fast, me! Ah, I know, a distraction! "Hey, is that a Guardian behind you?!"

He didn't so much as blink.

"Yeah, I wouldn't buy that either." I grumbled, then steeled myself. Closing my eyes, I waited for the Hero to strike me down, "Fine, get it over with. Take my head, for the good of the world."

I don't know what happened next, because I couldn't see anything, but I did feel a light tap on my shoulder, and, instinctively, I moved my left hand up to push whatever it was away. As I did, I felt another hand take my left.

Opening my eyes, I saw the Hero taking my hand into his own, and yet, instead of feeling like a little schoolgirl, my breath caught my throat as he looked my bare hand over, specifically, the back of it.

Stupid, stupid! I forgot to bind it like I usually do! STUPID.

Snatching my hand back, I pulled it closed and glared at the Hero, _"Hero."_ I said, my voice cold, _"That is…_ " I took a deep breath, trying to force myself to calm down, easy there Rob, he doesn't know, "Something personal to me. Could you forget having ever seen it?"

The Hero...no, Link looked me dad in the eyes, and this time, I didn't waiver, I couldn't, I mustn't.

He nodded once, "Sure." He said.

I breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good." Glancing up, I looked at Link, "By the way, if you aren't gonna cut me in half, why did you draw your sword?"

He chuckled nervously, then explained why.

"Ah, I see." I said, nodding, "Please find somebody else to be your punching bag."

With that, I breathed into the Hero's eyes, which caused him to flinch for a moment, then I ran away like I had from the Okotoks, a good tactician always knows when to retreat! Especially when it's from 100 year old heroes who apparently decided, on their own time, that you were hardier than the rest and thus, make a good sparring partner.

That, or he was just bored, or something.

* * *

I made it to the gate of Fort Hateno, panting for breath as I did.

"Stupid...hero….ugh…" I gasped, placing my hands on my legs and breathed heavily. I was never the best runner, or sprinter, so it was no surprise that my lungs felt like fire as I felt my legs give way and I collapsed onto the ground. By now, the weather had turned, and I was underneath a growing cloud cover.

As I looked up towards the sky, I saw a single red bird fly through the air. Something that I distinctly recognized as a robin.

Huh, those were rare around these parts, they weren't native to Hyrule...come to think of it, neither was I.

Maybe that's why…I ...I…

"What am I doing?" I asked nobody but myself, dimly aware of cooling weather and growing wetness, "Making chit chat with the Hero...who I am sworn to slay...oh, who am I fooling?" I asked the wind, which rushed on past me, biting my skin as the rain began to fall. I let out a hollow laugh, it was so godsdamn hilarious, here I was, a curse upon the world, making f-friends with a Hero destined to save it.

Ha, if only he could save me! But...let's face it, there's only one way he could do that.

The rain began to pick up, pelting my skin as I stared up to the sky. The cold water splashing against my tanned skin, my hair slowly but surely becoming wet and dripping with each passing second. The freezing water paling against my head, and soon enough, I felt the chill of the air hit me like cold iron.

What a sorry life I lead, huh? Hells, what a sorry person I was!

Here I am, wallowing in self misery, yet, if you went solely by today's events, then barely anything went wrong! I was...just a sad, pathetic...miserable excuse for a... _human._ My mother called me that once...Gods, what was wrong with me? Gods, what was I anyway? So much tainted blood in my veins…

As my head fell, I looked back up towards the gate. You know, I heard once that there was a "last stand" here against a Guardian horde, brave knights giving their all to defend people behind the wall, to protect them from the monsters outside their doors.

Well, this m-monster could get in if she wanted.

I could...I could…

Before I _could_ do anything, a shrill scream caught my attention from beyond the gate. I paused for a moment, it was a scream of terror and fright, not one of surprise.

Was...was someone in trouble?

I forced my legs to work as I stood up, I was a sad sack of meat, but...somebody needed help? Maybe? It didn't matter, I began to run, well, shuffle, my way to the sound of the scream.

The wind chilled my bones, and I was dimly aware that the sun began to set, and a red moon began to rise as my tainted blood began to boil.

It appeared that once again, I was in for a long night.


	4. Chapter 4

It was starting to be a dark and rather blood red night as I ran through the woods of the Eastern Necluda towards the sounds of these screams. My lungs burned as I ran for gods know what reason, maybe it was just desperation, maybe it was just the Blood Moon causing my blood to scream out. I always hated these Blood red nights, I always felt...uncontrollable on them. Yet now...

I didn't know what was it with this night, as monsters returned from the grave, but on this night, I I felt...emotional...like, rash. Hot blooded? Maybe it was my encounter with the Hero that caused me to act this way but…

But…

I had to run, I had to fight. That's what I felt, that's what I knew, it was the only thing clear in my head. Past my grief and past my rage, the sounds of violence grew closer as I ran as fast as I could. My muscles burned, and my coat was growing heavier with each passing second as the rain picked up. Going from a gentle shower into a fierce storm.

I ran, but I wasn't going fast enough.

I dropped my backpack.

I dropped my coat.

I dropped all the things I didn't need.

And I ran.

I don't know when, I don't know how, but the next thing I knew was that I was standing near a small group of people being assaulted by Bokoblins and Skeletons. Something was different about these monsters, their color was...odd, not red, but blue, and the numbers were higher than before. I didn't know when I drew my sword, but it was something I realized as I plunged my sword into the nearest monster. It was only the vibration and the distinct feeling of separating flesh with metal, did I come back from where I was.

I blinked once, then twice.

Then I had to duck out of the way so a club wouldn't take the upper part of my skull off.

Rolling in what could only be described in a messy and haphazard fashion, the wet grass clinging to my undershirt and skin, I came up to my knees in front of the people who were being attacked, my sword held in front of me defensively. I spared a halfward glance back to them. There were four in total, three girls, one guy. One of them looked particularly young, but that might have been due to mere appearances than actual age, the man was taller by a margin, bald, had overalls on, not to mention a long beard. The other two girls looked alike, most likely sisters, though the plain looking outfits probably gave that way, but I had no more time to analyze them in greater detail, for the battle began again.

The nearest blue Bokoblin took a swing at me, but a clumsy lunge from my blade met his swing. Only, I found that my blade, made of metal, was pushed back by his club that had a two large spikes in it. The club smashed through my guard and forced me back. Great, so not only was I outnumbered, I was also outmatched in weapons and strength.

Glancing back, I saw that the group I was "protecting" was frozen in fear and shock, "Hey!" I snarled, "Get back damn you!" I cursed.

The sisters shook their heads once and the large man picked up the small girl by the waist, who was shivering in fear. Tossing her over his shoulder, the large man began to run. One of the sisters took a step forward but was held back by the other.

"Meghyn, we need to go!" She screamed.

"But Nat-!"

" **Go!"** I snapped at her, feeling a mixture of ungodly anger and frustration at this girl. Here she was, denying my orders to live like a complete moron! Who did she think she was?! A little _nothing_ that's what!

Thankfully though, her much smarter sister was there to pull that dead weight from the battlefield.

The two of them left the field as quickly as they could, scampering away, either away from me or the enemies surrounding me. It didn't matter which.

My blood boiled, and for once, I wanted to _spill some._

I looked at the foes surrounding me, and I laughed, "Come on you arrogant mortals! I'll show you what despair feels like!"

I didn't bother to ask myself to ask where that came from, because I lunged forward towards a nearby Bokoblin with a shield and tried to cut off it's head in one fell swoop, thankfully, it's reflexes were slow. But, whether due to the weakness of my body or my weapon, I didn't cut through the throat like I wanted, instead, a deep cut was the reward of my efforts.

This bokoblin wasn't the one I had attacked earlier, no, that one as right behind me, readying it's attack on my flank. I can't tell if it was blood moon making me more energetic, but I felt faster, and I was fast enough to snatch the shield away from the bokoblin I just in time to block the attack.

It wasn't a very good shield, so it came as no surprise to me when it shattered on impact with his fancy club. There was a distinct _crack_ in the air, and I couldn't tell if it was from the wood or from thunder, but either way, I stumbled back, my left arm numbed from the blow.

I grinned the despite the pain.

I didn't have time to say anything witty, because another Bokoblink this time the black one, swung down at my head. I pulled it back just in time, but a glancing blow caught me, and to make matters worse, it was on the part my skull that was already injured by the Octorocks.

I stumbled back, dazed by the blow as my vision went blurry.

Another one caught me in the side, knocking me to the ground. I swung wildly, ignoring the pain somehow as I did. I can't tell if I hit anything, but I thought I heard a cry from somewhere. Could've been me, could've been somebody else, who knew?

I rolled with the blow, and soon enough, I was on my feet, staring my foes down as they advanced on me. As the cold wind whipped, I felt a sharp pulse in my sword hand.

I grinned, and the Bokoblins stopped in their tracks, confused.

"Fools." I laughed, not caring if they understood me as I held up my sword that began to crackle with sparks, "It's called checkmate."

With a casual toss of my sword that sparked with electricity, and soon enough, lighting struck it and well, it went off like a goddamn spell. I laughed loudly as the deafening crack went off, not caring who heard as the bokolins were struck by lightning. Withering in pain and twitching like goddamn worms.

"That's right you maggots!" I laughed, pulling my bleeding arms up, "You fear the end?! I AM THE END!"

Funny thing about magic, most of the time, you needed a focus in order to use it, a fire tome, for instance, used the pages as a focus so a mage can get off a spell without injuring themselves. But, if you had the element nearby and ready, well...it'd take a great mage to do so, but here's the thing: The Yiga clan wasn't entirely incompetent, and they did teach a few useful things, like how to cast low level spells with hand signs.

Now, what was that about there being a thunderstorm and recently discharged lightning?

I grinned wildly and clapped my hands together as the lightning followed my movements.

The resulting _boom_ was immensely satisfying.

As the lightning faded away, I laughed aloud as I watched the charred bodies of my enemies disappear into nothing, "Ha, foolish worms, is that all you can…" A flicker of movement caught my eye, "Oh? Oooh?"

Standing wearily to his feet, the black bokoblin got to his feet. He looked completely charred, but he, or rather, it, was somehow rising to it's feet.

I crackled with a mad grin as I approached, "Oohh? You're alive?" My foot hit something, glancing down, I saw the spiked club again, only this time, it was on fire.

I smirked.

Reaching down, I picked it up and held it aloft in my hands.

"Ooooh, this will do _nicely._ "

In front of me, the Bokoblin slowly looked into my eyes, and I have to say, I didn't think I would see such fear in a monster's eyes.

But then again, _who was the monster here?_

* * *

The rain hadn't let up by the time I got the top of the hill as the people I "saved" crowded around each other as I approached. In fact, I think the rain might have even picked up a bit, the wind was definitely howling like a banshee now as I walked through the mud and the rain. The group was still the same as before, only now, they were in front of a gate to some dinky little village. Now, I got a much better look at them despite the dim light.

The sisters had differing outfits and hairstyles, one of them had a white and brown corset with dirty traveling pants, along with a blue scarf. All of which was drenched due to the rain, not to mention, her hair, which probably went around to chin, was soaking wet. The other, with a bowl cut, had a orange jacket with lightly colored pants, her cheeks were also kinda chubby.

The man was still the same as before, but now he had a pitchfork in his hands like it was some kind of weapon. The small girl had dark brown hair tied into a pony tail, with a grey shirt, a light undershirt, and brown pants on, out of them all, she looked the most frightened.

Needless to say, all of them were soaked to the bone.

Due to the wind, I had to wait a little bit before they could hear me as I walked towards them, but soon enough..."Well well well…here are the little piggies." I grinned, glancing at the bowl cut sister.

"You...you…" She breathed, but whatever she was going to say was lost to time as she stared at me. For a moment, I wondered why, then I remembered what I was carrying.

Namely, the broken and splintered spiked club I held in my hands.

"Oh?" I held it up casually, loose in my grip. My gaze sweeping over to it for a minute, then back to them. The rain was picking up, and it was getting harder and harder to seem necessitating the need to squint to keep.

For whatever reason, all of them jolted, and took a step back in fear.

I smiled reassuringly, "Oh? What's the matter? No kind words for your savior?" I "asked" mockingly.

None of them said anything in response, instead, they began to huddle together in fear. Of what? Of me?

...Good.

"D-demon." The young girl said.

I looked at her sharply, "What did you say?!" I snapped.

"Eep!" The girl eep'ed.

"Who do you think you are, you little _nothing!_ " I yelled so she could hear me. Oh, okay, who did this girl think she is?! "I risked my life to save you people and this is how you thank me?! Jeez, what, you think that because I'm not some knight in shining armor you get to call me a _demon?_ What is wrong with you? You don't even know who I am!"

"Stay away from us you monster!" One of the sisters yelled.

I threw my head back and laughed, " _Monster?_ Oh, that's rich! Yeah, I am a monster! You want to know who I am?! I am the wings of despair! _I am the breath of ruin!_ _ **I am the fe-**_ "

Whoever I was, my thought process took a sudden halt as my insides suddenly _stopped._ It felt when you ride a horse, then having that horse suddenly halt and rear, and you'd slam against the neck of the horse, only _that was happening to my internal organs._

A rush of blood shot my throat, and I instinctively placed a hand to my mouth and coughed violently, clutching my stomach as I did. Oh gods, I didn't just feel sick, I was literally _dying._ How many injuries did I sustain? Broken bones...head injuries...oh gods….the rain...hypothermia...the run over as well, exhaustion was starting to set in….

I fell to my knees as my coughing worsened, soon, I was violently throwing up blood. It tasted like copper and metal as I spat out what had to be at least a good portion of my blood, and I could feel my entire body start to calm up as whatever heat I had left drained away.

My vision blurred to the point I couldn't see my own hands, and…That was it, I had nothing else to give. I let out one last indescribable sound of pain as I fell onto the ground fully, then, quite simply, I was lost.

* * *

I alone, that was the first thing I noticed in my prison, for what else could I call it? I was alone in a black, empty void, the only thing I knew for certain that was there was ground beneath me by the feeling in my feet.

I looked to my left, nothing, just an empty void.

I looked to my right, still nothing.

I looked forward and- _"Oh gods!?"_

In front of me was _me._ But devoid of anything resembling...well, mortality! Empty white eyes, eerily pale skin, white hair that a person should not have and this...aura around her that...that scared me. It was like a cold hand had reached inside of me and taken hold of my spine as this...imposter stared at me.

I moved to the left and it followed, I went to the right and it _followed._ Oh gods, what did this thing want?!

I couldn't take it anymore, I ran.

I ran like a dog with my tail inbetween my legs.

I ran and I ran and I ran and I ran!

But it wasn't enough.

I turned to look behind me once, and it was gone. Then I looked forwards, and it was there, right in front of me!

I stopped in my tracks, breathing heavily.

"Well? Say something!" I snapped at it. Not the smartest move, but there was nothing else I could do!

Without a word, it pointed behind me.

I followed it's finger, and before I could turn fully, I let out a sharp breath.

Then I felt a searing pain explode through my chest. My entire being went numb as I dumbly stared downwards.

A sword, double edged, was piercing straight through my chest from the back. Blood began to dribble out of my mouth as I looked at my killer.

"H-hero?" I asked, wetness filling my eyes and throat, either from blood or from tears, "W-why did you…"

I didn't get any father as the Hero pushed me forward, sending me colliding with the ground as the last of my strength faded like embers…

* * *

I watched myself fall to the ground, the blade of evil's bane sticking out of my back. My hands clasped over my mouth as I let out a wordless scream of fear. Oh gods, oh gods, what...why…

My hands felt heavier than before, more than they should. I chanced a look and found them tightly bound by chains. My legs fared no better, for around the ankles were heavy cuffs that restricted my movements to an insane degree.

"What?!" Was all I was able to get out before I was forced to my knees as the chains around my legs sank into the ground, my hands pulled painfully behind me, forcing me to prostrate myself on the ground.

"Oh gods, oh gods." My breathing became faster and faster, my lungs beginning to hurt with each passing second. Oh gods, I was hyperventilating, "Din, Farore, Nayru!" I screamed with all my might, " _I need your help, please!"_

But no help came.

I screamed, I screamed, I screamed with all my strength and all my being. I screamed till I couldn't scream anymore. My throat became dry, it became tight and pained. Oh gods...what was going on? Is this hell? Did I die? What did I do to deserve this?!

Soon, my screams were replaced by tears, and I sobbed. Tears streamed down my face as I cried, my nose leaking snot as I bawled and bawled, oh gods, was this my punishment? To see myself die, again and again?

"Well, it certainly seems fitting, doesn't it? A worthless little rat like you deserves such a fate."

Oh gods, _"No…"_ I knew that voice, I knew that voice all too well…

"Oh, good, you remember my voice little one. Your mother would be most displeased if you had forgotten your father's voice now, wouldn't she?"

"Y-you're no father of mine!" I can't tell if my remark was due to desperation and pride, or if it was because I literally couldn't process any my emotions correctly while I was in this...this...hell!

"Ooh, good, that suits both of us just fine."

"WHAT DO YOU WANT?!" I yelled.

"Hm, to pass judgement? What do you think o'prince?"

Prince? Oh no…

I turned to look, and I lost the ability to breathe, "No, please no!" I pleaded, "Please just go-"

I couldn't scream anymore, for the blade that awaits me at the end came down. I could only watch, it wasn't the blade of evil's bane, but something far worse. Light cuts through the dark well enough, and that blade cut me down with no such resistance.

* * *

I stared dumbly as I watched myself fall to the ground once more.

I couldn't think, I couldn't plan, I...I just watched.

My mouth moved on it's own, but I couldn't speak, for no words could come out.

A hand fell on my shoulder, and I turned.

There was a woman beside me, older then I was by a fair margin. Taller than me too, but she had faded red hair, and reddish gold eyes with bags under them. She had tanned skin, and also wore a dark purple coat that only took a half second for me to recognize, "M-mom?"

"Hello my little bird." She said sweetly.

I threw my arms around her, not caring "Oh gods, mom!" I cried, sobbing into her shoulders, "It was so awful, you weren't there! So many people hate me! I just...I…" Whatever I was going to say next was gone as I cried, whatever or wherever I was, I didn't care. I just wanted to see my mom again! Was that too much to ask Gods?! Whatever sins I've committed, don't I at least get to see my mother again one last time?!

"There there sweetie." She said soothingly.

I hiccupped, "M-mom…" I whimpered quietly.

"I'm sorry." She said.

"I don't care!" I shouted, "I just want you back...It's been so hard…"

"I know little bird...I know." She replied, "And I'm sorry you had to go through this…"

"I just want it to end…" I cried, "Enough is enough! I just want it to end..."

She rubbed my back, "It's okay child...no one can hurt you anymore…"

I don't care if it was a dream, but that was the sweetest thing I've ever heard, I wanted to thank her for everything, and I looked into my mom's eyes.

And found a golden pair staring back at me.

I gasped.

Then I woke up.

I screamed, but there are no words for how it sounded. Hell, I don't even know if it was a scream, just a vague chortle coming from a ruined throat. I tried to open my eyes, but they felt too heavy, which would have vaguely annoyed me if I was capable of rational thought beyond "Bugagahhahuha."

By some measure of willpower, I managed to open my eyes a small bit, no more than silts, and I saw...blur. Everything was a blur, but...it was bright, I could tell that much. Shiny even. There was...movement? Yes, there was a moving blur, what else was there...I needed to move and...

Oowww, my head…

I tried to speak up, let somebody, anybody know that I was awake. But, unfortunately, all I got was: "Bugagahhahuha."

By some miracle, this actually caused somebody to be alerted to my being, because I heard the distinct noise of plates shattering. Oh dear, wasn't that bad luck? Or was that mirrors? I'm not sure…

Ooohhh...My vision is darkening again...and my body felt really hot...like, on fire hot. Not the other kind of hot that I wanted to be….

Oh, wait, somebody just grabbed my arm, I think, my sense of touch was kinda kaputt at the moment, and then...I felt something cool and nice press against my forehead. It felt like a rag...was somebody placing a damp rag on my head? That was so nice...I should thank them.

"Thakgag yyiha." I said, elegantly, to whoever was tending to me.

I didn't hear the reply, if there even was one, because I soon passed out again. Yaayyy.

* * *

The next time I woke, thankfully from a dreamless sleep, I was a little bit more...aware. That is, I could see two feet in front of me.

There wasn't much, in fact, all I was able to see was the underside of a bed, but I wasn't on the floor, just in another bed...was I in a bunk bed? I always wanted bunk beds when I was a kid…

My vision was blurry, but thankfully, my mind was a tad bit clearer, enough for me to string together a few complete sentences. My throat burned, or rather, it was incredibly dry. Breathing onto itself was hard, and most of my body felt like it had been run over by a horse.

Using my right arm, I pushed the covers back to see how banged up my body was. Glancing down at myself, I discovered that my upper torso was covered in white bandages, and my left arm was tightly wound. My head wound from before was now wrapped up cleanly, and my right leg was the only thing on me that wasn't bandaged. Weakly, I strained my vocal cords to work as I called out to whomever could hear me, "H-hello?" My voice was weak, strained, and horse. Honestly, a child would probably be louder then me at this point.

But, to my surprise: "Oh! She's awake!" A female voice called out.

Turning my head and wincing at the pain that came with the motion, I saw a young girl with black hair enter through the doorway and approach me. This was...um...I swear I saw this girl once before….

"H-hi." I said weakly, waving my good hand, "A-are you the person who helped me?" I asked.

"Oh, um…" The girl averted her eyes.

"T-thank…" I coughed violently, placing a hand to my mouth as I did. Hot spit landed in my hand, and I vaguely remembered that was a bad thing. Struggling to finish my sentence, I looked at the girl, "T-hank you." I said breathlessly, "I...I'm am…"

"Oh, um…" The girl rubbed her hands together, "You...um…"

"I'm…" I racked my brain, trying to think of something to say, "Um...who are...you?" I asked.

"You don't remember?" The girl asked.

"R-remember?" I blinked, did I know this girl? She seemed vaguely familiar….

"Well...I'm Sophie…" The girl said quietly.

I nodded in reply, "I'm...um...Ro."

"Ro?" Sophie tilted her head, "Is that a nickname?"

"...Yeah." I nodded after a moment.

"Oh."

There was an awkward silence between us. Sophie opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out, and I was no better.

The two of stared at each other for a moment, then, slowly, something dawned on me, "Am...am I in your bed?"

She shook her head, "No, that's...wait, hold on!"

She said that particular phrase because as she began to speak, I, bravely, tried to get out of bed, but I underestimated just how messed my body was, because I soon found myself face first on the floor in an undignified heap.

"Ow…" I said, weakly.

Sophie, to her credit, didn't laugh or make a face. I think. I dunno, I couldn't see her facial expression.

* * *

Author's Notes: Thanks to everybody who favorited this story, and please, leave a review! Even if it's only two words, every little bit helps!


	5. Interlude: Sophie

I watched her hit the floor with a "thunk," and I couldn't help but cringe a little as I saw the girl try to pick herself off the ground. It was...so weird. This girl, who's eyes once glowed an unnatural purple, who's very voice was once like something from the same pits that Calamity Ganon crawled out of, was...pretty weird.

"Ro" is what she called herself. What it was short for, I have no idea. But she was of tanned skin, most likely of Gerudo descent, with reddish brown hair that was missing patches from her head due to various wounds, oddly though, I saw little patches of white where the hair had started to grow back in.

"Little help?" Ro asked from her heap on the ground, drawing me out of my thoughts. Her voice was light and silvery, I suppose, but...the way she spoke all those nights before..

I took a breath as I approached the fallen girl, slowly holding my hands out in front of me, my heart hammering in my chest. Oooh, why couldn't I go back into my corner? Why couldn't I stay in my corner? It was so nice…and out of the way.

I gently kneeled down next to Ro, and I...slowly placed a hand on her bare shoulder.

She jolted, no, wait, she twitched! Yes, that was right, she twitched slightly as I touched her shoulder. Still, as I realized this, I let out a startled "Yeep!" and pulled my hand back.

Ro moved her head so she would her cheek would be resting on the floor, "Did you just "yeep?" She asked.

"Um…" was my clever response.

Whatever Ro thought of me, she didn't say. Instead, all Ro did was try ever harder to get out of bed. I don't know if it was out of concern or fear, but I let out a small cry, "Hey, don't try to move!"

She ignored me, and, for lack of a better word, flopped off my father's bed. Landing on the ground fully, causing the covers to be spread every which way. Thank the gods her bandages didn't come off, they were already hard to wrap around her rather sizable chest.

But, anyways, there she was, lying on the ground, placing her working hand to her head and rubbing her skull.

"Ooofff." She groaned, looking up at me, squinting, "I'm...sorry, you look familiar, have we met?" She asked.

I blinked, and nodded, "Um...I'm Sophie."

"Oh, hi Sophie." Ro replied, trying to give me a smile, but she winced and held the side of her head, "Ow ow ow…" She muttered, "My braiinn, I've been passing out way too much. I hope I don't lose any more of my memory…" She said under her breath.

"Umm…." I glanced around, "A-are you feeling any better?" I asked, she glanced at me, and I winced, "Oh, okay, stupid question."

"No, no, sorry." Ro replied, "I'm...just not used to being taken care of." She said, then added, "Sorry."

"Oh, well...umm…" I replied, smartly.

"So...um, can I ask how I ended up in your bed?" Ro asked.

"My father's, actually." I corrected.

"Your father's, my bad." Ro said, trying to wave her hand, but winced with the motion, "Oh, okay, ow. So, um...to be blunt, my memory's kinda hazy, how did I...well..." She looked down at herself.

"Oh!" I realized what she wanted, and I pushed my hands together, "Well...um...we were attacked by some monsters, and you...um...saved us."

"I...did?" Ro looked away, "Did I do a good job? Was anybody hurt?" She asked quietly.

Oh...um…

Was this the same girl as that...demon?

Regardless, I waved my hands a lot, I do that when I'm nervous…. "Oh, no! Just you! I mean, nobody else was hurt!"

She breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good…" Ro closed her eyes, "Anything else?"

"Um….you got kinda scary…." I muttered.

She opened them, and glanced at me. Her goldish red eyes boring into me, and her expression changed into one of quiet contemplation, but it felt...weird, like she was sizing me up for a fight, but not like she was going to pick one. More like she was trying to figure out what it was I could do in one.

"Scary?" She repeated, "What do you mean?"

"Um…."

 _Thunder crackled as lightning flashed in the sky, a golden eyed demon stood in front of us, laughing aloud as if the world was just some cruel joke. Bloodied and injured, but unbowed, a creature of ruin and calamity, to make even the gods tremble in her wake…_

"Well, we were in a storm, so that probably had something to do with it. Plus," I tried to smile, "It was a Blood Moon, so everyone was creepy looking…"

"Blood Moon...?" Ro said quietly, "I see…"

I tilted my head, "Huh?"

She glanced back at me, "Oh, um, yeah, sorry. My...family," She took a sharp breath as she said that word, "My family has...well...my father has ties to demons and monsters and the like, a few generations back." Ro chuckled as I tried to process what she said, but it sounded bitter, "Mind you, that was like, decades ago. I'm just...a little unlucky in that...well, sometimes my blood is a curse on nights like that."

"Demons? Like...the Calamity?" I asked softly.

Ro shook her head, "No...No. It's...complicated and I don't really like talking about it." I nodded, I guess that made some sense...and I got not wanting to talk about family pasts. "So!" Ro said loudly, "Where am I?"

I smiled, I could answer this, for sure! "You're in Hateno village, in my father's store!" I explained, "Ventest Clothing!"

"Why is it called...nevermind." Ro rubbed her head, "So, how long was I out?"

"You had a fever, plus the wounds, so…A few weeks." I said.

Ro stared at me, and I smiled nervously.

"A few weeks." She said.

"Yes." I repeated.

"As in, a little under a month."

"Yes."

"As in, exactly twenty three days."

I blinked, "How did you…"

Ro grinned slightly, "My mother taught me a lot."

I nodded once, "Huh…" Was...was this person super smart or something?

Placing a hand to her head, Ro looked as if she was fighting back a headache, and the following grunt of pain made me wince.

"Ugh, word from the injured," Ro said, lowering her hand enough for her to look me in the eye, "Don't ever go into battle, it just sucks…"

"I'll keep that it in mind…" I replied quietly.

A second of uncertainty passed between us, and Ro chuckled weakly, "Well, um, thank you for your help, but I don't want to take up any more of your time so…"

With what had to be either monumental willpower or incredible stupidity, Ro tried to rise to her feet, using the bed as support. She didn't get very far, even as I crossed the distance between us slowly. In fact, she barely made it an inch off the ground. Her legs quivered and shook as they tried to support her weight, while her support arm was buckling under the strain. The sweat rapidly forming on her brow only increasing my worry as I gently placed two fingers on her shoulder.

She went down like a sack of bricks, letting out a wordless groan of pain as she did.

"Shit." She said quietly, taking in large gulps of air as she did.

"You shouldn't try to move." I said sternly, or at least tried to. I think it came out as more of a squeak to be honest…

"Grhk…" Was Ro's response, and I took that as an invitation to lift her back onto the bed. As I laid her down, she looked at me in surprise, "You're...strong."

I blinked, "Oh, my father has a lot of back up clothes, so I usually have to help him lift them."

"Did…" Ro took a breath, "Were any of them knight suits by any chance?" She asked with a grin.

I raised my eyebrow, "Well, yes. Why do you ask?"

She just looked at me, looking very confused.

"Nevermind…" Ro said quietly, after a pause.

I smiled, but it was strained, "So, um, I'll go tell my dad you're here...Awake! I mean awake!" I shook my head and averted my eyes, trying to force the rush of heat away from my face.

"Oh...okay." Ro said, "...Sorry, again."

I looked back at Ro once, then quietly shuffled away.

My father is...well, he's a big man, so he wasn't that hard to spot, standing outside the gate of Hateno village. These past few weeks have been...well, somewhat hard on us. When Ro...saved us, and I use that word hesitantly, my father has been somewhat distant lately. Not that he wasn't before, but more like...worried. Gazing out into the distance instead of keeping an eye on the road kind of distant, I guess. The latest Blood Moon...Gods, and those four laser beams pointing at the castle, is something going to happen? The end of the world or something?

Anyway, as I tried to keep those thoughts at bay, I weakly greeted my father, "...Hey dad." I said quietly.

He turned to look at me, eyes wide, "Sophie!" He placed a hand on my shoulder, "Is..um, everything alright at the store?"

"The um...Ro...I mean, the person who saved us has woken up." I stumbled over my words, and I cursed myself. Why couldn't I just stay in my corner, where it was safe?

"Oh, has she?" My father glanced towards our home, "...Has she said anything?"

"She said her name is Ro, but I think that's just a nickname, but I don't know if she remembers anything about…" I trailed off, seeing no more reason to continue that sentence.

"Has she um...done the spooky eyes thing?"

I shook my head, "No, they're just...reddish gold."

"I see…" My father gazed away from me, and I felt a lump in my throat. Should I say something, should I walk away? No, I had to say something, anything!

Summoning all my courage, I said: "How are Nat and Meghyn?"

….I'm not good at this…

My father looked back to me, "I haven't seen them." He replied, "I think they hit the road again."

"Weren't they injured?" I tilted my head, those girls were something else.

My father just shrugged, "Well, they do like truffles..."

I giggled, "They do."

"Anyway, why don't you head back to the shop? I'll be back a bit earlier than usual this time to help cook dinner."

I felt a tinge of disappointment, but I held back a sigh as I nodded.

Heading back to the shop, I paused at the door, my hand an inch away from the knob. There was...two, three? Voices inside, muffled, but still audible.

Oh, did somebody come to the shop while I was away? Like that Link person who didn't really speak?

Shaking my head, I opened the door and stepped inside. To my surprise, I found that the people speaking weren't in the main room, but instead, right in the side roomwhereRowasohno!

I froze in place as I saw Nat and Meghyn stood in the doorway, facing away from me and towards where Ro would be.

"So what was that thing you did with your voice?" Nat asked, looking oddly excited at talking to someone who had threatened her life a few weeks before.

"...My voice?" I heard Ro say, sounding unsure of herself.

"Yeah, you sounded all echoy and stuff!" Nat insisted, "And your eyes were all glowy and scary and there were these weird lines on your face!"

"Not to mention the grandiose death threats…" Meghyn muttered.

I involuntarily let out a sharp intake of breath, enough to draw the twins' attention towards me.

"Oh, hey Sophie!" Nat greeted cheerfully as she walked towards me, "Why didn't you tell us you had that demon cooped up?"

"D-demon?" I tilted my head, Ro wasn't a demon...I mean, sure, she kinda sounded like one back then but…

"Oh, yeah, you know how she looked!" Nat continued, "With the freaky eyes on her cheeks and the fact she had scary red eyes and-"

"Nat!" I snapped, looking at her with wide eyes, "She can hear you!"

Nat looked at me in surprise, before sputtering out something in response, "W-well, I mean, I…"

I sighed, rubbing my head, "Look, is there something you two want from the store?"

Meghyn spoke up, "Actually, yes. We need new traveling clothes."

I glanced over at the stands, where the Hylian outfit stood on several separate mannequins. You know, I was never quite sure why we separated the outfit into three pieces, I mean, wouldn't it be better to sell them all as one complete set? But, I returned my attention back to Meghyn and Nat, "Well, we have the usual stuff, but the soldier set is better for defense…" And made you a walking lightning rod…

"Nah, lots of walking, you know." Nat said with a shake of her head.

"The warm doublet? For any colder climbs."

"Truffles don't grow in the mountains…"

Well, I guess you would know… "Well, the only thing left would bet the Hylian set…"

"It'll do." Meghyn said, "It's boring, but it works."

I nodded, that made some sense, "The full set or…"

"Just the torso." Nat replied, "Two sets, one for each of us."

"That will be 240 rupees in total then." I nodded.

Nat blinked, then paused, "Hey Sophie...have I ever told you you're my favorite storekeep?"

I nodded, smiling thinly, "Yes you have."

"So you know that, if I had a choice, I'd never shop anywhere else, right?" Nat said, looking at me with her best puppy dog eyes.

"And you'd still have to pay." I replied.

Nat winced, "You sure? Not even a little bit of a discount for your favorite customer?"

"Make her pay double the amount!" I heard Ro call over, and despite that sage advice, I couldn't really do so...but the scared expression Nat made was nice.

"240, as always." I repeated. Nat slumped over, apparently defeated.

Rolling her eyes, Meghyn walked up to me, fishing out the rupees needed from her pouch. Handing over a few differently colored rupees, Meghyn gave me a small smile. Nodding return, I deposited the rupees in my own pouch before heading over to a nearby cabinet. Opening it, I pulled out two folded hylian tunics and held them in my hands as I walked back over.

"Here you go! Please, come to Ventest clothing again!" I smiled as I handed Nat the clothes.

"Sure, sure…" Nat said glumly, taking the tunics away from me.

"See you later." Meghyn waved goodbye, and soon enough, I was the only one in the store.

Well...almost the only one.

Walking back to the side room, I saw Ro leaning forward on the bed, looking downcast as she stared at her left hand. I've seen the tattoo on it, some weird sigil that looked like some kind of demonic Y, but with six eyes on both lines before crossing and twisting at the center.

"...What did I do?" She asked quietly.

I looked away, "You...went crazy." I sighed, there was no point in sugar coating the truth, "You had purple eyes going up your cheeks, like some kind of monster. Your regular eyes were glowing as well, not to mention your voice had...well, it sounded demonic. You acted like a maniac too, calling yourself "the breath of ruin…"

Ro whispered a word under her breath that I couldn't catch, but it kinda sounded like "-ma."

"Did...did I hurt anyone?" Ro asked.

I shook my head, "No, you passed out from your injuries in the middle of a rant."

"I see...that's good." Ro leaned back against the wall, "Gods…" She closed her eyes, "I really hate myself sometimes…"

I winced, honestly feeling a little confused and worried for this girl.

"...My dad should be home soon." I said, not really knowing what else to say, "Um...I think he'll make dinner."

"I...don't want to impose." Ro said, still looking down at herself.

"It's no trouble...you did save our lives after all." I tried to say. Honestly? I would be happy if this girl were to leave and never come back, but…

"And nearly took them." Ro returned.

Something told me that she needed help, in more ways than one.

"I'm still here." I replied, "And...to be fair, you just threatened us and acted like a villain in a novel."

Ro snorted, "...Did I say anything in particular?"

I couldn't help but grin, "You also called yourself the wings of despair."

Ro giggled, "Ha! Gods, I bet I looked-" She paused, then clutched her side, "Oh, okay, ow. I...shouldn't laugh too hard."

I winced, "Oh, yeah, the doctor up the hill took a look at you." Odd how someone so small and young was such a good doctor… "And she said that you had some internal damage, plus a lot of old injuries that didn't heal properly. She said it was frankly amazing that you're still alive."

"I'm hard to kill." Ro shrugged, then paused again, "...A doctor up on the hill? Small, looks like a kid?"

I blinked, "Yes, how did you…"

"Just someone I heard about over the grapevine." Ro said, then took a deep breath, "...Look, I..owe you. A lot. Is there anything I could do for you?"

"Huh?" I tilted my head, "What do you mean?"

" I mean," Ro played with her hands, "I mean I'm not a good salesperson, but I could help around the store for a bit….and I'm a good...um...I can hunt for food!" Ro looked at me, "I mean, I know how to hunt."

I shook my head, walking closer to Ro as I did. Pulling up a chair, I sat down, "Ro, it's okay. You don't owe me anything."

Ro opened her mouth to respond, then closed it. Eventually, after a minute's pause, Ro spoke up, "...Thanks."

I nodded, but truth be told, I couldn't really think of anything to say either.

What luck, huh?

* * *

 **Wow, it's been a while huh? Well, I'm gonna try to update this story a bit more. I can't promise fequent updates, but I'll at least try to update every month or so. Anyway, that's all for now.**


	6. Chapter 5

It all came down to this, this one singular play, nothing less than my entire existence was riding on this one move my opponents were about to make. Would they do as I predicated? Or would they perform a cunning maneuver that would blindside me? It was two versus one, and so far, while my victory had been slow but steady, I was aware that the table could turn at any moment.

Sophie looked at me, and I kept my gaze steady as I returned her look. Sophie had so far, been the most unpredictable of my foes, her constant nervousness hid a keen mind that had blindsided me early on, and I made sure not to repeat that mistake twice.

My other foe, Seldon, was a large man whose hair had moved down to the underside of his chin. Out of the two, he was by far the easier one to handle. He did not have a good poker face, by any means. Still, I couldn't take any obvious risks with him. Seldon ran a store, after all. You don't operate business without some savvy.

Still, that didn't mean I could count him out, not yet. After all, only a fool would believe victory was secured before the hour had passed.

So, the three of us sat there at the kitchen table while the rain outside gently fell to the ground. Our weapons were our cards, and our minds. Mind you, the actual weaponry was placed on the wall nearby, so there were actual weapons in our battle as well. Whether or not they'd get to do any stabbing was dependent on how this trial would end.

So, it all came down to this one last play. I looked at my two opponents and gave them a nod to start the end.

Sophie showed her hand first, "T-hree of a kind."

Seldon showed his, "Full house."

And mine, "Royal flush."

Victory was sweet indeed.

As Sophie looked as if someone had kicked a puppy, and Seldon looked over the cards in surprise, I took my spoils as the rightful conqueror should.

"B-but how?" Sophie asked, her lips quivering.

"There's only so many cards in the deck." I replied as I looked over my winnings, "It's easy to figure out what's coming next once you memorize all the cards and take into account what's been played so far."

"Bu...but…"

I gently patted Sophie on the shoulder, "It's okay, maybe next time."

"...I was really looking forward to that drink at the tavern." Sophie said quietly.

I smirked, "Ha, nice try, but that pity play won't work on me!" Or, at least, not at first it wouldn't. A few moments of looking at Sophie's heartbroken face made my wretched heart wither, and I silently pushed my winnings in between us, "Here," I sighed, "Just don't take too much."

Sophie looked back at me, and she gave me a slight smile as she took a few rupees out of the pile. Which, to be fair, wasn't much to begin with, and none of them were of high value anyway, so it was literally no skin off my nose.

Ever since my little...episode during the Blood Moon, I had found myself staying at Ventest Clothing, working as a bookkeeper and trying to make sure that Sophie stayed out of her corner as much as possible. Particularly everything about my body had been a wreck, and I had nothing else to do aside from stay in bed and try not to get in the way of actual sales. Soon though, my body had healed enough for me to at least walk around with a clutch.

I had insisted, quite strongly, that I'd at least do _something_ around the store to pay back Seldon and Sophie for nursing me back to health. Plus, well, truth be told, I'd be up for anything that took my mind off what Sophie had said about me.

Did I really become a…

I closed my eyes and forced the thought away, nothing good would come out of stressing myself about it. Opening my eyes again, I found my pile of money slightly smaller than it should have been. Glancing at Seldon, I raised my eyebrow slightly as I saw a few green rupees slide into his pocket. I gave a halfcocked glare, but admittedly, I couldn't afford to be too cross with the man. He did, after all, save my life.

I may be Yiga Clan, but I'm not one to just turn away a debt.

In any case, I'm sure Seldon noticed my look, and he gave me a grin in return. Rolling my eyes, I moved to grab my crutches off the table and started hobbling to my little "room." Ventest Clothing wasn't that big, and the side room consisted mostly of a kitchen and a bunkbed. My "room" was just a corner with a bedroll lined up.

They had offered me a bed, but...honestly, I've gotten so used to a life on the road that it's hard me for to sleep on anything soft. That said, they had set it up a nice little tent for me, so it wasn't that bad.

My things, which Seldon had collected from the path, were already lying in the tent. Most of my stuff had been ruined by the rain, and being left in the mud certainly didn't help matters, but it was there, so I guess that counted for something, at least.

"Oh, Ro." Sophie spoke up, drawing my attention back to her. In the short week I've gotten to know her, Sophie was a shy, withdrawn girl who was at her happiest in the corner of the store. I guess, in a strange way, she was probably envious of me, seeing as how I slept in a corner.

"Something up?" I asked. It was rare for her to approach me, seeing as how she, again, liked to stay in a corner for most of the day. She had spine in her, don't get me wrong, but it only seemed to appear was when making a deal. Maybe the shop put that steel in her spine, or maybe she just didn't want to disappoint her father with making a bad deal.

"I um…" She looked away, "Um...Thank you."

"...For the rupees?" I furrowed my brow, then shrugged, "Don't worry about it."

"No, I...mean…" She said something under her breath that I couldn't hear, and whatever she was going to say died in her throat, as she quietly trudged back to her room. Well, that was weird.

Regardless, as Seldon put out the lights, I climbed into my tent. Setting up my lantern, which was thankfully still intact, I grabbed one of my books from my little stash and started reading. I know that late night reading could be considered unhealthy, but it was a little hobby of mine. As I laid down on my back and held my book above my head, I lazily scanned the pages for anything of interest. The book was interesting, something about how a white haired monster hunter with cat eyes tried to woo some sorceress by using a genie, or something. While magic didn't work the same way as it is described in the novel, it didn't change the fact it was sort of envious. What I'd give to be able to use magic to fix my flaws…

As the night wore on, I felt my eyelids begin to drop. Sensing sleep was upon me, I set my book down and turned off my lantern.

Naturally, I think I only got about two hours of sleep before I heard something stumbling around outside. Having grown up sleeping with one eye open for a variety of reasons, I found myself bolting upright and wincing as my midsection flared up in pain. Ahh, nice to know that my stitches were still holding together.

Ignoring the pain, I stretched my hearing as best as I was able, trying to discern who-ever or whatever caused the noise. It had sounded like footsteps, but it was extremely possible that it was just some deer that had wandered by, or that one creep by the inn.

Laying my head back down on my pillow, I waited for sleep. Which, of course, didn't happen as I made myself get out of my tent, throw some clothes on, and hobble out of the store with my crutches. I suppose if it is a trespasser, I could just, y'know, smack them to death or something.

The night air hit my face like a pillow, which was good, because if it had hit me any harder I probably would have fallen over. The rain had also stopped, meaning there was a gentle hint of wet grass in the air. The moon lit up the night, providing more than enough visibility for me to see by. As I walked around the perimeter of the store, I found my breath tightening in my throat, what if it really was a robber? There was no way I could fight one off, I don't think I was capable of fighting off a small child, let alone a full grown adult.

Worse yet, what if it was a monster, or the Hero?

….Okay, the Hero probably wouldn't attack me, I think. Maybe? Anyone else though was fair game. Like a moblin, or something.

As I checked the exterior of the store, hoping against high hope that it was just the wind or something, I noted that one of the pots lined against the wall of the store had been smashed. Which was weird.

Coming around to the back of the store, where the wooden extension for storage was, I found myself overlooking the valley. If I'm being completely honest, it was...rather amazing. The way the wind blew, the moon overhead, and the view was enough to make me pause in thought. Approaching the fence, I found myself sitting down and using the fence as an armrest as I looked over the valley.

As I watched, I couldn't help but spot something out of the corner of my eye. A balloon of some sort was touching down in a field nearby, and it was apparently lifting some kind of basket as well.

My curiosity peaked, and I found myself standing back up despite the pain.

The trip over to the hill where the basket landed was a short one, even with my handicap, and lo and behold, I found something that didn't quite make a lot of sense.

What I found was a store, I think, run by a man with a very large head, dark grey skin, and wearing what appeared to be some kind of bunny hood. As I approached, I couldn't help but notice the strong scent of, ugh, Monster parts. Whoever, or, whatever this guy was, it was clear that he was a bit of an oddball.

As I got close enough to speak to him, I opened my mouth, "Er, hi?" I said.

Before I could say anything else, the man whipped around fast enough to give me whiplash, which was quite a feat, considering the fact that I hadn't moved at all. "Hooooyag!" He yelled, jumping a least a foot in the air as he saw me. After a moment, he calmed down, then gave me a quizzical stare.

The two of us looked at each other for a few good moments, then he laid his head against his desk in disappointment, "Oh, you're just a Hlyian."

There was evidence against that, but as I recovered my wits, I just shook my head, "And you're just a…." What was this guy, again? He had pointed ears, but last I checked…

Oh, no, wait, he was a...Er, Deform...um, wow, I just feel really bad about myself now. Great job, me.

The man looked nonplussed, then, oddly, sniffed the air. Was he part dog or something? "Hm...You're not a monster…." He muttered to himself.

"I'm no one important." I replied with a casual shrug, "You are?"

"I'm Kilton." He said with a smile, "I suppose you're here because you heard that I was opening a Monster shop."

I didn't hear anything like that at all, but no reason to let him know that. Also, Kilton, why did that name sound so familiar….I shook my head and tried to clear out the thoughts, "So," I began, "You sell Monster parts?"

"I buy Monster parts!" Kilton replied with a grin, "Do you have any?"

I shook my head, my things were back at the shop, and I didn't carry Monster parts in general. Honestly, who would? Some kind of kleptomaniac?

Kilton looked noticeably deflated at this news, and I felt a pang of guilt. Thinking quickly, I spoke, "But, what do you sell? If you show me your wares, I might go out and get some later." He pulled himself together quickly after I said that, and pulled out the _oddest_ collection of stuff that I had ever seen. Ranging from monster masks (Was that Lynel? How the hell did he...) To a dark grey tunic which reeked of evil, and a purple mask with bright yellow eyes.

I didn't know what was up with that last one, so I didn't even risk touching it as I looked over his stock. I have to say, despite being obviously not in his right mind, Kilton was a very skilled craftsman, all of his work was finely honed and well made. So much so that I couldn't help but wonder why he didn't try to get a more conventional job somewhere. Mind you, that train of thought died quickly as I realized two very important things. One, Kilton's appearance would make anyone wary of him, and two, Monsters were probably his passion, and far be it from me to deny someone what they loved.

As I looked over his stock, Kiltion explained to me how I could purchase items via Monpoints. I won't bore you with the details, but the gist of it was that if I gave him Monster parts, he would give me Mon points for stuff.

All in all, not a bad way to set up a shop, if only if his customer base wasn't so niche. Before I could browse further though, a cold wind brought my attention back to the mountains, and I blinked. Kilton followed my gaze, and he let out a "Ah" of awe.

Descending from the sky was a Dragon, as if summoned from the ethereal void of the heavens above. I could see it's snow white scales thanks to the glint of the stars, but other then that, I couldn't discern any other features. I must admit, as I watched the dragon slither across the night sky, I couldn't help but feel a shiver of fear that ran through my body. So much so that when I thought the dragon might have been getting closer, I turned and walked away from Kilton as quickly as I could. This wasn't just simple fear, but a survival reaction, the same kind you would get from an avalanche approaching.

If Kilton had anything to say about me walking away, then he didn't say anything. As I made my way back to the shop, a thought struck me as approached the front door.

If someone broke the pots, how come there wasn't anyone nearby? Or, for that matter, any tracks? The people in this town were quiet, and they didn't really go out at night. The only people who would be out this late were me, that one creep near the inn, and anyone who fancied a random nightly stroll. Even so, they wouldn't break these vases without giving something back to the owner. These people were good and simple, with nary a truly bad bone between any of them. In fact, the only people who would be able to do such a thing would be me, and anyone from…my…Wait, didn't that mean that…No...They wouldn't. They couldn't.

My worries growing with each passing second, I opened the front door and scanned the room. Everything was untouched, Sophie and Seldon hadn't gotten up yet, and it seemed quiet enough.

But, as I walked over to my tent, I took a sharp breath. Resting on the floor was a sickle, the same kind we used in the Yiga clan. Originally, it was made to help earlier Yiga clansmen to help with crops, but over time, it became a symbol of suffering for many. Suffice to say, this was a message, and I understood it all too well. Either get back to work, or someone dies.

If it was me, Seldon, Sophie, or anyone in this town, I don't think the Yiga clan cared. They wanted me back on task, so they were willing to do whatever it took to remind me of my life's duties. As goofy as they were, the Yiga clan was cutthroat when it came to membership. If you were in, you were in for life. No discussions, no pension plan, none of that crap. You were in until someone or something killed you, and sometimes, not even then.

As I walked over to the sickle, making myself sit down while ignoring my body's protests, I picked up the weapon and looked it over. The blade was clean, and recently sharpened. By all accounts, it was a fine weapon. On the handle was a picture of a tree, one that I recognized all too well. With a growl, I stowed the sickle away in my tent and climbed in myself.

Closing my eyes, I tried to pretend that nothing had happened and that these halcyon days would continue for as long as they could.

If only they could.

* * *

The next day, I had decided it was time for me to leave. My body had healed enough, (thanks to a healthy diet and willpower) and I could set out on my own once more. It was something that Seldon understood with a clear nod. I guess he was happy to get rid of a freeloader like me, Sophie, on the other hand, gave me a sad look. I don't know why, I guess she just got used to me.

As I was packing up all my stuff for the road, my destination was clear. I had to go to...ugh, the Lover's Pond.

I suppose that Yiga Clan thought they were being clever, with scheduling a meeting at a place where only a few people knew about, or maybe my bosses were just fond of irony. That, or someone up the chain of command wanted me to their mistress (If I had enough food in my stomach to throw up, I would.) But either way, that just meant I was in for a hell of a hike. I had no armor, no weapons that wouldn't immediately get me murdered by a traveler, a smidgen of money, and barely enough food as is.

So, basically, my normal.

As I headed towards the gate of the town, I spared a look back to a house on a hill. It was a quaint little thing, a small cottage that had a nice view of the valley. I think, once upon a time, it belonged to a knight or something, but in the present, it was either up for sale, or it was still in the process of being refurbished. Several guys were just lounging around the outside, sitting near a fire. I don't know who owned it, or even if somebody lived in it, but compared to those blocky homes that were set up nearby, that house was a place I kinda wanted to live in some day. If I ever grew old and gray, a nice house would be heaven for me.

….Ha, as if I could ever get that old in the first place.

As I left the town, I took a deep breath as I propped my pack onto my shoulders once again. Here I go, out on the open road, all on my own, going down the only road I've ever known.

Or, at least, that would be the case, but…

I turned around, and I shook my head, "Sophie…"

"Um…" Sophie stood behind me, dressed in traveling gear not unlike my own, "It...this was my dad's idea."

I shook my head, not buying what she said for a minute, "Sophie...Its dangerous out there."

"I k-know."

"Especially if you're alone."

"..."

"Why do you even want to go?" I asked, placing my hands on my hips.

"It'd...it'd be a good experience." Sophie replied shyly. I rolled my eyes, and held back a sigh. Walking up to Sophie, I placed a hand on her shoulder. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not...good, with people. At all, but I figured that here, I had to be as nice as possible.

"Listen, Sophie…" I began, "Its...very hard out there. Before I came here, I was constantly on the verge of death and I was left at the mercy of my enemies more than once." I tried not to think about when I first met the hero, and when he had saved me from the giant pig skeletons. I could barely take care of myself, let alone another person, "So, Sophie, I really think that it'd be better for you in the long run if you go back home and-"

"Hey Sophie!"

Oh no.

Resisting the urge to sigh loudly, I looked over my shoulder to see the pair of sisters, the truffle twins, Nat and Meghyn. Both of whom were in high spirits, with a pair of large truffles in their arms. Letting Sophie go, I took a few steps back and tried to slink away while I could, but Sophie, with surprising strength, managed to grab my arm and keep me in place. What did this girl lift? Full sets of armor or something? Piles upon piles of clothes?

...Damn it, I hate it when I answer my own question.

"Oh, hey, it's you!" Nat said as soon as she saw me, "The demon lady!"

I grumbled under my breath as I managed to free my arm from Sophie's grasp. Rubbing my head, I turned away in an annoyed huff.

"Are you two going somewhere?" Meghyn asked after a moment.

"I am." I spoke up, turning my attention back to Sophie as I did, "And Sophie here was just on her way home."

"Um, actually..." Sophie kicked some dirt, "My dad thought it'd be a good idea for me to see...what it's like outside of the village."

"Oooh, that's right, you've never left." Nat nodded, "But...don't take this the wrong way Ro," She glanced at me, "I don't really think you're the best one for the job."

"That's fair." I shrugged.

"Oh…" Sophie looked downcast, and for the life of me, I still couldn't wrap my head around the idea of Sophie wanting to travel with me. I mean, what exactly did Sophie even like about me? I was a neurotic, paranoid woman who didn't belong anywhere. Hells, I'm surprised they even put up with me as long as they did.

"But…" I looked to see Nat stroking her chin, and a cold chill washed over me as I recognized an idea forming in her head. Seeing my apparently aghast expression, Nat grinned, "Why don't we come with you!"

"What." I croaked out.

"What!" Sophie squeaked.

"What?" Meghyn repeated, giving me and Sophie a look complete with a shrug, "The truffles here are getting old anyway."

" _Never say that Meg."_ Nat hissed, turning on her sister. In her defense, Meghyn raised her hands up to ward off any potential attacks….or maybe she was just raising them to placate her sister, I don't know.

"Um…" Sophie looked at me, and I couldn't help but shrug and sigh at this new development.

After a moment, all I could say was, "Do what you want."

Sophie looked at me for a good minute as Nat and Meghyn argued about truffles, then nodded.

"Thank you."

Why she did so, I'll never know.


End file.
